Arrival Of A Legend
by Tiigerliily
Summary: When Ameena - a girl from the world outside - arrives on Piñata Island, she certainly makes an impression on the Villagers...
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

''Hello? Is this Jardineiro's garden?''

''Not anymore!''

A smiling, strange girl - which Ameena first had thought was some kind of decoration - hurried towards the newcomer.

''My name is Leafos! You must me Ameena, the person who's going to take over my father's garden...''

Ameena nodded. She glanced around the wilderness... When she had found the Ebay-advertisement of a pitoresk, exotic garden, infertile terra and dry brownish grass was not what she'd expected. And what was up with all the rubbish lying around?

But she wasn't going to complain. No, Ameena never had been one of complaining. Instead, she smiled her most friendly smile.

''Nice to meet you, Leafos. Cool name...''

Ameena shook the other girl's hand, which was hidden in some green sort of glove.

''Is this the garden?''

''Yes.'' A shadow fell over Leafos face. ''It's not what it used to be, though.''

''Hmm...''

''If you want to grow flowers and veggies here, and of course attract the better kind of piñatas, you have to... clean up the mess a little bit, I suppose. But I'll help you. Oh, and I have something for you. First thing a gardener needs. A journal!''

The strange, masked girl - who sounded happy again - handed Ameena a huge book. It looked pretty old, no hundreds of years, but certainly a half a decade or so.

''Heavy thing!''

''Certainly, it contains all information a professional gardener could ever need! Oh, and of course you need a cell phone...''

''Ehm, I have a cell, actually.'' Ameena showed her white Blackberry Bold, which she was very proud of. It had taken her mother ages to safe enough money, so she could buy her daughter one for her birthday!

''Nah, that thing won't work around here.''

A shock went down Ameena's spine. This was worse than when miss Dittmar, the German teacher, had taken it in for three weeks 'cause she'd been using it in class!

''Strange radio-waves, you see? Piñata Island isn't just an island, you know. It's kind of... magical. We're located near the Bermuda Triangle, so the radio waves are kinda different... This is the kind of cell you need.''

The phone wasn't very pretty. It didn't look like it had many functions too, Ameena doubted if it even had a camera.

''Time for another present! Damn, I feel like Santa Claus!''

Ameena looked at Leafos hands, in which had appeared a whirling stream of colored energy. After a few seconds - or less - she could clearly see the shape of a shovel. The whirling streams gradually disappeared, until there was nothing left of the magical thing but rusty old piece of metal.

''A shovel! A gardener absolutely can't do without one, especially not in a tough garden like this...''

''How did you do that?''

''Haha, islander's secret! Now, use this thing I've given you, please?''

Actually, Ameena never had a garden all her life. She didn't know hell about gardening tools, the only thing she had experience with was a watering can!

The strange masked girl smiled at her. ''Don't worry, Ameena. You'll get the hang of it. I promise you.''


	2. New Girl On The Block

**New Girl On The Block**

**''**Have you met the new girl, yet?''

Leafos was kneading cookie dough, when her sister Storkos walked in.

''Oooooh, the new GARDENER you mean?''

''Yes, excactly, Ameena.''

''Not yet, no, but I can't waiiit to! I think I can take a break from my egg deliveries... So, her name is Ameena. What is she like?''

''I don't know...'' Deep creases appeared in Leafos' forehead, which could've been seen if she hadn't worn a mask. ''She seems nice, but... inexperienced. The way she holds a shovel, like she's never holden one before! I wonder what she's gonna make of dad's garden, I seriously do...''

''Well, she can't make it any worse than it already is!''''

''True.''

A tense silence filled the cosy, messy kitchen. The air became so dense, that it overshadowed the lovely scent of the cookie dough, flowers and fruits, which were distinctive for that room. Storkos was worried, Leafos wasn't such a silent person, neither was SHE such a person for worrying!

''Why that curtly? Was she mean to you, or..?''

''No, no, not at all. Seems like the sweetest girl ever. Why else would I be baking cookies for her? You know I hate cooking... But...''

''You don't like her taking over dad's garden?''

''Yes, that too, and she's... she's different. She ain't no islander, as you know, but she doesn't even wear a mask! She talks with a strange accent! She doesn't know you can't use Blackberries around here! I bet she doesn't even completely know what piñatas are... And she's young, about my age I guess, I doubt she's any older than seventeen...''

Storkos forced a laugh.

''Don't let it bother you so much! She'll naturalize! And she'll grow up! We'll visit her tonight, together with Seedos if he wants, maybe dad and some people from the Village...''

''Dad's with her now.''

''Is he?''

''Yes. And I hope he doesn't scare her off too much.''

_In the meantime..._

Pat, pat, pat, pat... This gardening-thing was hard work.

Of course Ameena was used to working. Back home in the Netherlands, she had helped her mother with the housework, which was even more annoying than her homework! And yeah, during the vacations in Ghana, she'd help her dad on his farm, which was tough, but not as tough as this! With her dad, she never had to work for more than two hours, and never during the middle of noon, when the sun could even burn her dark brown skin.

''You must be Ameena.''

The girl looked up. She saw a huge shadow, in a very strange shape. What... who was this man?

''Don't be afraid, silly. I'm Jardineiro, I suppose you've already met my daughter Leafos...''

Cautiously, Ameena stepped inside the shadow of some big, random boulder. She really should get rid of that rock, somehow... But now that she didn't look straight into the sun anymore, her sight was better, and now she could observe the thing that was talking to her.

The 'thing' she'd been afraid of, turned out to be a rather friendly looking old man. He was wearing a strange mask too, with some kind of... crown of feathers on top and a sun depicted on his forehead. When she looked down to his body, she saw he was wheelchair-bound.

''Yes, that's true. The famous Jardineiro, the legendary gardener! Are you the girl who wants to equal my greatness?"

"Oh, sir, ehm... That was never my intention, I..."

"And it shouldn't be! You would´ve failed, if you tried."

Ameena just nodded. She had no idea what to say to this man.

"Ahh, don´t look at me like that! I'm not as arrogant as I seem! Well... Probably, I am. But if you want any tips for gardening... If you need someone to talk to about piñatas, somebody better than Leafos, then you know where to find me.  
>Now, if you don´t mind dear, it's time for me to do the daily shopping... See you around!"<p>

Jardineiro, which still was some kind of strange creature to Ameena, rolled towards the Village at full speed, and left her being thunderstruck.

People here were strange. She wondered what other eccentric personas she would meet, and what these people thought about here. They probably felt like SHE was an oddity, a story apart!

"Oh dear, I hope the Piñata Central can provide integration courses to immigrants... If so, I´d do one."

_3 hours later, around 7 PM_

"Ameena!" The door of the treehouse Leafos and her dad lived in slammed open, and Leafos ran out with a plate full of cookies. '' I thought I'd provide you some... you know, foodstuff. And I need to introduce you to some people...''

''Hm?''

Ameena had been resting in the remainings of a Chuckles-house. She assumed it would be her home for the first few days.

She'd cleaned the dirty walls and floor, which were covered in encrusted bird crap and sere straw, then she'd unpacked her bags and had start furnishing her little shelter. She had laid down a fluffy pink blanket on the grass ground and had decorated the walls with pictures of her mother, father and her brother Atsou.

She had wished she had some 'real' pictures of her friends, all the pics she had of them were trapped in her Blackberry, which wouldn't go on anymore. She was low in batteries, and she couldn't seem to find an outlet or anything.

''This... is Seedos, my brother. And this is Storkos, my sister.''

Ameena crawled further out of the little hut, stretched her arms and managed to stand up straight. ''Hi Seedos. Hi Storkos.''

They shook hands. Both of these figures wore masks.

Seedos' mask was very weird, it had maple leaves on the sides and thick, round glasses covered the eyes. He had large teeth, carried a backpack that was obviously too big for him and was dressed in yellow shorts.

''Nice to meet you'' he said. His voice sounded rather nasal, like he'd caught a cold or something.

The lady, storkos, was all dressed in a blue, warm looking material.

''That's a very pretty dress'' Ameena remarked.

''Whay, thannnnk you! And you are a very pretty girl, Ameena. But, aren't you aware of the fact you should wear a mask?''

Ameena shook her head. ''No, I'm so sorry... I've never been to Piñata Island before, you know. I actually never heard of it...''

''No worries, we'll make you one! One that suits everything, from your face shape to your personalityy! But for now, don't show your face to too many people. Seeing one's face is kinda... an intimate matter.''

Ameena nodded. ''I understand.''

She did not. She just didn't want to upset these strangers, it was their Island after all.

''Come sit. I've brought you some pillows, and some food, like I said. I see you haven't grown any yourself yet, so I can provide you some until you've made your own.''

''Thank you.''

''You're welcome. I've got you... enough to get through the night, I think. Cookies straight out of the oven, a jar of honey, some veggies - I hope you like carrots, we had an overload of those - and three bottles of fresh milk. That will do, right?''

''For sure! Thank you so much...''

''Oh, and I've got you a lighter. To make a fire when the night falls, you know. To keep the Sours at a distance.''

Ameena took an asking look at Leafos. ''What are Sours? And are they dangerous?''

''Well'' Leafos said vacantly as she settled down on one of the silky pillows ''not really. Not for humans, at least. For your Piñatas, they are. They bite them, or start fights with them or stuff. But as long as your Piñatas have housing and you keep a fire burning, they shouldn't be much of a threat.''

''Okay. But what are they?''

Surprisingly to Ameena, Seedos was the one to answer. ''They are the most tragic little mishaps in the history of Piñata island.'' His voice had taken a dark tone.

Ameena crossed her legs, while looking at the ground, which was now all green and grassy. She didn't know what to think of it. Besides, she still wanted to know what these tragic little mishaps were...

''Ehm... Yeh'' Leafos released. ''Don't you worry about Sours. They're just Piñatas, only difference is, they're foul. Nothing to be afraid of, really. Oh, by the way, did you manage to attract any nice Piñatas today?''

''Yes I did!'' Ameena answered, happy they could talk about another subject. ''I ehm... some worm like creature, it's orange and it's cute...''

''Your first Whirlm! Such a gaiiiin for your garden!''

Ameena rose an eyebrow. This Storkos-woman, who somehow reminded her of a huge bird, was a little bit too hysterical for her liking. After all, these so-called Whirlms were fun to watch playing in the mud, but aside from that they weren't any interesting at all.

''That's a bit exaggerated, Storkos, Whirlms are just... Ah, look! I've got the fire going! Look at those flames! Ain't I such a pro? Look Ameena, that's how you light a fire... Oh, I forgot...'' An incredibly wide grin appeared upon Leafos' face. ''Does anybody want... _marshamallows_?''


	3. Doc Patch

**Doc Patchingo**

BANG! BANG! BANG!

''Leafos?'' her father shouted from the living room downstairs, where he slept since he obviously couldn't walk stairs anymore ''I believe someone's knocking on the door...''

''That banging gave me a clue'' Leafos murmured to herself, trying to make something neater of her all messed up hair.

''Do you mind letting this person in, darling?''

''Of course not, dad.''

Leafos rushed off the cracky stairs. It was a miracle it could still carry her weight! When at the hallway, she quickly grabbed a coat and opened the door rudely.

''Yes?''

Ameena! The girl looked like she had been chased by a pack of Sour Macaraccoons! Her hair was even messier than Leafos' and she had huge undereye circles. Plus, she looked horrified, shocked almost.

''Great Gods, what happened? Wanna come in for a cup of tea, or...?''

''No! I don't have time for that!''

Ameena quickly looked around, as if she were scared something was following her. Or someone. Had Ruffians harassed her?

''Calm down, what happened?''

''My bunny... rabbit... I believe it is called a Bunnycomb! It's ill!''

''You've actually attrackted a Bunnycomb already?''

''Yes, I found it in my hut, plundering the carrots you gave me last night... I put them somewhere high, so she couldn't eat 'em all, and then she just hopped outside to play or something... and then... and then... I went back to sleep, and eh... A few hours later, or so, a strange... gnaw-sounding noise woke me up! I searched for my Bunnycomb, and when I found her she was all pale and bloody...''

''We have to hurry up!''

Leafos dropped the coat; she didn't even bother with the cold anymore, and she ran towards Ameena's garden. Ameena followed her, but she wasn't as fast. She was probably exhausted from her lack of sleep, not to mention her jetlag!

''We'll call Doc Patchingo!''

Leafos reached for her cell, called 811, and turned her face to Ameena, kinda to put her at ease.

''Patch! Hurry up, sick Bunnycomb, Jardineiro's garden...''

''L-l-l-leafos! Nice to speak to you a-a-again. You h-h-have a c-case of a a a Bunnycomb?'' sounded at the other side of the line.

''Ýes Patch. Quick please, I wouldn't like the new gardener to see her lovely first Piñata getting smacked up by Dastardos right in front of her'' Leafos whispered, hoping Ameena wouldn't hear the latter.

''O-o-okay, I'm on the road.''

Beep.

''Patch is on his way.''

Ameena had squated down and patted the pale rabbit's ears carefully.

''Everything's gonna be allright... Hey.'' Leafos noticed a jar of honey, a few centimeters away from the wounded piñata.

Ameena looked up. ''I tried to feed BonBon some honey... I know it's used in some medicines. It didn't help, however.''

A tear fell down her face, rolling over her cheek and making its way down to her chin. In the misty dawn, it all looked kind of dramatically - the whole picture, from the dying Bunnycomb to the popping daisies, and Ameena looked even more stunning than by day- or moonlight. She somehow looked like a Godess, Leafos thought, as she was surrounded by fluttering white Mothdrops. The weak golden morning light looked almost like some kind of aureola around Ameena's head.

The Bunnycomb, that was apparantly called BonBon, started to make weak, squeaky sounds. The moment of wonder was over.

Ameena bended over the piñata again, worried she'd pass away.

''The doctor's coming, the doctor's coming'' Leafos soothed, both the piñata and the girl. 'But I wonder if he'll come in time...' she added in silence.

Disco lights! Those must be the ones Patchingo attached to his 'ambulance', other from those you wouldn't find any so far out of the Village.

A mixture of relief and enthiusiasm rushed through Leafos' veins, as she jumped up and hurried towards the field vet.

''Patch! Patch! Patch! You're right on time!''

''Wh-wh-where is t-t-the little pa-pa-pa-patient, Leafos?''

''Over there!''

Patch turned his car - in such a clumsy way he almost turned over - and drove across the new-sowed grass. When only a few metres away from the bunny, he jumped out and started to run.

''No-no-no worries! I-I-I -''

The girl - from Patch firstly had only seen the back of - looked over her shoulder and Patch could see her face.

She wasn't wearing a mask.

''M-m-m-m... Nice to meet-t-t...''

The girl's eyes were big, dark and almond-shaped, surrounded by thick, black eyelashes and crowned by the most perfect eyebrows. Her hair - seperated in dozens of small braids - was dark, long and dry, but kind of pretty. Her lips were lush, and her skin was darker than _chocolat noir._ She had high cheekbones and a kind of round chin... Wow, the way her skin was glinstering in the morning sun was almost unnatural!

Then Patch realized the girl's face was all wet from teardrops. His heart skipped a beat. He'd better get working on that Bunnycomb!

''D-d-d-on't wo-o-o-rry madam. Healing p-p-p-p-p-p-iñatas i-is easy-y pea-easy lemon squeezy when you ge-t-t the hang of it.''

''Then just get going!''

Leafos pushed Patch in the back. She knew Patch was shocked by the beauty of Ameena, and she also realized he wanted to impress her with talking about him being the best vet on the Island - and he certainly was! - but it'd be better if he'd just demonstrated her his skills instead of bragging about them.

Ameena's worries about BonBon had been replaced by her fascination for the man in the monkey suit. Why did he dress like a huge, blue chimpanzee? And what kind of car wás that?

The Doc had moven closer, and she could smell his aftershave. She knew that brand, but she had forgotten the name of it. Her little brother Atsou had bought in two weeks before she left home, because he finally had enough of a moustache to shave!

Damn, how she missed that little brat.

''T-t-this doesn't look all-all-all too well...'' Patch stumbled. ''It's bleeding.''

''It's a she.''

''A-a-actually it's an 'it'. P-p-piñatas do no-not have gen-gen-genders you know.''

''So how do they make babies?'' Ameena asked, slightly surprised.

Patch didn't answer her. Neither did Leafos. She watched the operation over Ameena's shoulder.

''W-w-we gon' need some bandages... And some iodine... and finally... Oh no, ehm... Ah, bitten by a Sour, I see... May-may-maybe... Yes, this tincture wou-would do too...''

Suddenly, BonBon made a relieved, satisfied wheezy sound. The bunny jumped up effortlessly, as if she hadn't been perishing on the ground in pain just a few moments ago.

''BonBon!''

Remarkably, the bunny jumped straight into Ameena's arms. Ameena cuddled and tickled the animal and put her nose deep into the paper fur as if they'd known each other for years...

Bunnycombs were among the shyest piñatas on the Island, how could this girl have such a good relationship with one she'd only known for a few hours?

Leafos was wonderstruck. Was it possible her father's garden had been taken over by some kind of 'piñata-whisperer'? Fortunately, this girl DID have talent! Maybe - if the Gods granted her this - that lil' woman would take the garden back to what it used to be...

Patch was certainly wonderstruck too, but he had his own motives to be. He just couldn't help but stare at the maskless girl...

He needed to get out, though! If he wouldn't get out of this garden in time, he'd probably bring himself in the most embarrassing situation...

You see, the sun wasn't the only thing that was coming up.

''I have to g-go! Just go-got bee-beeped up by Sparcticus! Seems like his pr-pr-prize-winning Wa-walrusk has eaten sour candy-y-y... Critical situa-ation... Gotta go!''

He sprinted to his car and immdiately raced away as fast as the automobile allowed him to.

''Such a strange guy'' Ameena lisped.

Leafos chuckled. ''I think he actually fancies you!''


	4. Gossip A Lot

**Gossip A Lot...**

Doc Patch was back at his hotline. He'd just sit there waiting until some feverish, over-concerned piñata-owner came along, or until someone called or sent him a message.

It was about 7 AM now. It'd been one and half an hour ago, still he couldn't get that new girl off his mind. He even had drawn a picture of her, as soon as he had entered his office. He didn't want to forget what she looked like.

She was special. And he wasn't the only breathing creature attrackted to her, piñatas seemed to gravitate towards her too. There wás something about her, she seemed so sweet, so endearing, so PERFECT!

Oh, and that face. He'd never seen any face like that! And he would never see it again, unless he'd marry her! Only family members or spouses were allowed to see one's face, or real close friends who'd known each other since their childhoods...

He blushed underneath his monkey-mask. Marry her? H-h-he, and a pretty girl like HER? Great Gods, thinking about that even made him stutter in his thoughts!

She would make an amazing wife, though. She would be the sweetest little mom, and something about her made him think she'd be great at cooking too! Oh, and not to mention how beautiful their children would be, and... how _fantastic _it'd be to make them...

No, no way she'd ever feel something for the 'guy that dressed like a chimpanzee and talked like a spastic three year old'. She would marry someone... handsome, to start with. Eventhough she had no idea what the guy'd look like underneath his mask, at their honeymoon she'd find out she had married some kind of adonis...

Bleh! That nearly made him vomit! He couldn't picture Ameena - that was her name, right? - with another man, it crippled his heart! Agh, what was he thinking? They had only spoken a few words! She could fall for somebody else _anytime,_ she probably already had...

''Hello, Patchie!''

Lottie walked in. Patch couldn't stand that woman, especially not when she interrupted him from doing something important, like dreaming about Ameena.

''What do you want, Lottie? Did one of your Cluckles catch a cold again? Can I sell you some medicine?''

''That's exaaaaaactly what I came for, dear! Huh, wait, who is thát?''

Ohh, no! NOT the sketch of Ameena... Oh no... Great Gods ...that female Barkbark had found it! Why exactly SHE?

''T-t-that's j-j-just a beatiful gi-i-rl'' he stumbled as he grabbed the piece of paper. ''No-o-no-one in parti-cu-ca-lar.''

''Are you sure? You seem a bit nervous. Tellll me, is that girl your object of affection?''

Lottie giggled.

''You guys have gone far already, right? Otherwise you wouldn't know what her face looks like, obviously!''

Patch extremely detested gossip, especially gossip about him! Now, if there would arise a rumour of him and Ameena being in a relationship... Then it would never ever ever ever happen! Ameena would be so mad... Or... Just disgusted that people pictured someone beautiful like her dating someone... unchancy like him! A princess and a monkey-man!

''Hihihi, Patchie has a girlfriend! Now, can you give me my medicine, please - I mean, the medicine for my poor little ill Cluckles! Ahh, thank you. Have a lóvely day, Patch! And tell your girlfriend Lottie said hi!''

Her laughter echoed through the room for several minutes, as Patch were wondering why on EARTH things like this always had to happen to him...

_At Costolot's, somewhere around 2 PM_

''Yes, Daisia, that fake buttercup would make your garden look even more aah-may-zing!''

''Are you sure? It's pretty pricy for a painted piece of wood...''

''I'm a one-hundred-thousand percent sure! Now, just buy that cra... _creative_ decoration, and empty your wallet! Hahahah!''

Daisia, a woman in a purple sari wearing a mask with bluebells depicted on it, seemed still to be a little filled with doubt.

''Just buy it!''

Choco coins were thrown at the counter, and Lottie made sure counted those choco coins precisely!

''Such a gooood decision, Daisia, you won't regret!'' she said while the woman walked out with the huge wooden flower, looking slightly unhappy. ''After all'' she added ''whatever you throw into that little garden of yours, it can only make that mess better!''

Daisia growled, while she made place for another woman entering the shop. ''See you Lottie'' she sneered. ''See you when you come begging me to lend you some choco coins because you've spend whatever you earned at cheap cough drops at Patchie's!''

Lottie gasped. How did Daisia know she were addicted to the side effects of cough syrup?

''Hi Lottie'' Leafos grinned as she walked in, with another girl at her side. ''Did I hear something about cough drops?''

''No, you didn't!'' Lottie hissed.

''Nahh, not if you give me a discount of... What shall I say? 25% off? Pretty mild offer of mine, huh?''

Lottie groaned. ''Fine, fine. What to you want?''

''The daily things. Plus, I could do with some paper mache... The new gardener has arrived yesterday, she's not from Piñata Island, you know. She's not used to wearing masks, she doesn't even have one yet! Ah, yes, thanks Lottie. No, a few potatoes more, please... My discount? Excactly, now, have a nice day!''

With her arms full of paper bags, Leafos walked out, swiftly as she always did.

''Ughh...''

Lottie burried her face in her elbows, which were resting on the counter. She had just made a horrible loss of money! Great Gods, seemed like she actually needed to go begging at Daisia's again...

Suddenly, she realized something! Hahah, this was góóód!

Immediately she sat up straight again. Yes, this could make up for the loss of money... It certainly could...

The girl without a mask - she'd seen on a drawing on Patch's desk that morning - was the new owner of Jardineiro's garden! Shé was the mysterious lady Patch seemed to love! But of course, shy and awkward as Patch was, he wouldn't want anybody to find out!

Lottie giggled and rubbed her hands, like a satisified evil genius would. Looked like she just had found her a source of free medicines!

_In the meantime, outside Lottie's shop_

''Ameena, I've got you everything we need to create you a marvelous mask! But that proces adsorbs some time... You know, first we need to find out more about your personality, so we can imagine what your mask should look like. And when we finally come to the actually making... Oh boy! That can take weeks! We need to give it the wanted shape, let it dry, paint it, paint it once again to make the colors appear more vibrant, add nice detailing, varnish it with transparant polish...''

''Wow! But I can't walk around the Village like this...''  
>All those people are staring at me!'' Ameena whispered.<p>

''I agree, and that's why we're heading to Paper Pets. It's a store where they sell domestic piñatas, and accesoiries to decorate them with. Personally I think it is pathetic to dress piñatas up until they look like some kind of Christmas tree...'' Leafos said with a disapprovingly voice ''... but well, they sell masks too, if you want to take your piñata with you to a gown or something, and I'm sure some of these masks have the right size for you!''

Ameena choked. Was she going to wear a mask that was designed for piñatas to wear?

''Don't look at me like that, it's only temporarily! Besides, no one knows it's not actually for humans...''

Enthiusiastically Leafos ran towards a huge building, which was apparantly Paper Pets. Ameena followed slowly. Then Leafos turned around.

''There's one thing, though. That salesgirl, Petula... She's dressed as a Kittyfloss, but I think she should purchase a Barkbark-costume! Don't bother with her if she insults you... she does that to me all the time!''


	5. Masquerade

**Masquerade**

_At Paper Pets_

Petula was just having her cat-nap when two customers walked in.

''Meow! Oh, hello, Leafos. I thought you were against accesoirizing piñatas since you thought it made them look ridiculous? Ah, well, I'm glad you've finally come to your senses... And who is this lady?''

''This'' Leafos said, in a very unfriendly tone ''is Ameena. I'm buying her a mask.''

Petula stared a few seconds at the other girl, then burst out in laughter.

''Hahahahahahhh... Oh, good one, good one... hhaaaaahahah... Leafos... Are you saying... Are you saying, is you saying that you consider this girl as a piñata? Hahahahahaah... For real... You've always been a rude one, but this nailed it!''

''Don't mind her'' Leafos said to Ameena. Then she told Petula: ''I just want to get her a mask here, at this store, because she needs to wear SOMETHING until her actual mask is done... For real'' she rolled her eyes ''you've always been a slow one, but this nailed it!''

Ooh. Dissed.

''... Agh, who do you think you are, Leafos? This is MY store, and you're only a customer. I have the right to kick you out whenever I want, keep that in mind.''

''Just get over yourself.'' Leafos chuckled. ''This is your PARENT'S store, and whenever you kick a CUSTOMER out, mommy and daddy are going to really angry with you for ruining a chance to earn a few extra coins... You know that just as good as I do, now, can you show us your masks, please? About... Bonboon size would do.''

Quietly grumbling, Petula reached under the counter to get a huge cardboard box, with the word 'Bonnboon Mazks' written on it.

She had never been such a good speller.

''Thank you, darling'' Leafos said in a sweet voice, permeated with mockery. ''I've always liked Venetian masks... They would look amazing on most villagers, I think. What if we all switched our traditional masks for Venetian masks, for a change? I mean, you could try out the harlequinade, it would suit you...''

Petula had no idea what a harlequinade was. But she was clever enough to know that Leafos was trying to scoff with her again.

''You should try a Sour Limoceros!'' she said. Her minimal brain couldn't think of anything better. ''Since you're so... so sour!''

Leafos, who've had enough of Petula's mute attempts to insult her and found it kind of stupid the girl thought Venetians would ever make masks of Limoceros, turned to Ameena. ''Any idea what kind of mask you want, which color, which patern?''

Ameena shrugged, a little confused by the hostility between Leafos and Petula. ''I don't... care that much. I think blue is a pretty color though...''

''Oh, we have a Blue Flutterscotch one!'' Petula called enthusiastically. ''It would look beautiful on you, and very fluttering!''

''_Flattering'' _Leafos corrected her.

Petula ignored her this time. She had taken one of the masks out, and even Leafos had to admit it was a great work of craft. The wide, blue wings of the Flutterscotch looked like as they were made of silk, and were set with countless embroided silver wire hearts and small, delicate rhinestones..

''If this hadn't been such a favorless store, that mask would be very classy'' Leafos spoke. ''Unfortunately, this is the shoddiest store on the whole island, and...''

The reaction of Petula, which Leafos sort of had aimed for, didn't come. Petula was too busy talking to the new girl while she attached the mask for her...

''Really, you're like... Ugh, the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, you know! And... I like... I like have seen myself, so it says a lot, you know. Really, how do you grow your eyelashes so long? And Gosh, do you use a lip plumper or are you naturally gifted with lushy lips? And yeah, you have such a great taste when it comes to masks... Other than my friend Fannie, haha! Do you know her? The girl at the post office, she's nice, but she's horrible when it comes to style...''

Now the girl was done helping the newcomer. Petula took a step back, took a look at the result, and smiled so widely Ameena was scared her face would rip open.

''You look AH-MAY-ZING! Wow! Oh may Gosh! Looks like you're going to the Midsummer Valentine's party or so... Wow... You will certainly turn some heads!''

This was one of those rare occations, Leafos felt like she had to agree with Petula. The mask made Ameena look stunning - as if she didn't already!

''Wow, great Ameena! Shows you have such swag, you can rock even the dullest piece of cotton on the Island...''

''It's silk you know!'' Petula snubbed as she was handing Ameena a mirror. When Ameena looked at her reflection, she was stunned! She looked like a Venetian princess or so, the kind of princess that dresses in ball gowns to visit some poshy Italian carnival party... Wow!

''Do you really believe that, Petula?'' Leafos jested about the silk. ''That's only what your parents told you, that's what they tell everyone so they can ask more money for their rubbish... Anyways... I'd love to not admit it, but this little mask looks pretty decent... How much d'ya ask for it?''

''Agh, since it's not for you, Little Miss Complainer, but for Ameena... It's free. Only for this time, Meena, it's my responsibility to keep the business going...''

''Still a very generous offer of you!'' Ameena said. ''I love this mask, it's perfect.''

''Ahhh, thank you! You know, you remind me of...''

''Yeah, sure Petula, Ameena and I have to go honeypie. Take care!''

''Yeah, take care Leave. Ameena! We should actually hang out together sometime, I mean your like...''

''Yeah, ehm... sounds fun, but I got to go now!'' Ameena didn't mean to be rude, she just didn't know what to think of the huge cat. She seemed nice, but strange, and towards Leafos she acted... Very catty!


	6. Little Kitty Kat

**Little Kitty Kat**

''Hello... Hey Kitty, what are you doing here?''

''Meow!''

''You don't look all too well... What happened to your paw?''

''Mew!''

''It looks... broken. Wait, don't take a single step, I'll carry you.''

Ameena took the young, strayed Kittyfloss off the ground, and pulled it close to her chest. It was a chilly and wet day, the poor kitten was supercooled and soaked in rain! If he wouldn't warm and dry up, he would freeze to death.

''Tell me, where's your mother? Oh, and I'll get you a blanket...''

''Moaw.''

''I assume this means you don't know where your mother is? Well, I can play your mum for a little while...''

''Purrr.''

The young Kittyfloss would love that human girl to take care of him. She seemed nice and gentle, other than his first owner, who dressed like a Kittyfloss too, but certainly wasn't... Yes, if he could only stay with thís girl, it would make his life way more comfortable!

''You're such a lightweight... you should gain some pounds! I can make you some anchovy stew, I don't like it much myself, but I know cats and my little brother do...'' She snickered. ''He has such a strange taste in food...''

Ameena entered her hut. She had made it more 'hers' over the past few days, as she'd covered the walls with drawings she had made during the most boring parts of the day. For example, the end of the noon. It was that time thad she'd watered all her plants, fed all her piñata, done her daily shopping...

She had drawn most people she had met the last six days. Leafos of course, to start with, and Storkos in her superhero costume. She failed at her attempts to draw Jardineiro - all due that damned wheelchair - but Petula had turned out flawlessy.

The drawing she was now working on, was going to be a masterpiece. It was a portrait of the mysterious monkey-man, Doc Patchingo. She really liked his mask, eventhough she thought it was strange at first, it was very original. If the man himself would be a bit less stressed out, it would be very swag...

''Mrrwhh...''

''Oh, Katchie! Hmm, seems like I've got you a name already... But I can't name you, I probably can't even keep you! Your owner must be very anxious, to have lost such a sweet little kitten like you in such a cruelly cold rainstorm... Not to mention your mother!''

The Kittyfloss didn't bother with his owner's anxiety at all. He had found himself a new owner, this girl! And his mother? She had died, he'd presumed. One day she was brought to this awful place called 'Piñata Central', and she had never returned.

The girl layed him down on a huge, pink pillow, and he snuggled against the soft material. Why would he bother with his mother being dead? He had barely known her, after all... Ahh, this pillow sure was comfortable.

''Meow!'' he mewed satisfied. The girl looked at her newly safed kitten as it showed his cute little belly. It was lighter yellow than the fur on his back, so light that it was almost white. She also noticed that he had an orange stripe on his little nose, and that his whiskers were kind of long for a Kittyfloss of his age.

''Wish I could keep you...'' she whispered wishfully.

''Ameena!''

Ameena's gasped. Who was calling her?

Leafos stuck her head through the hole in the wall that functioned as a door.

''Ameena, you can't live in the henhouse... not in thís wheater! You'll get ill!''

''For myself I don't really care...'' Ameena shrugged. Then she pointed at the Kittyfloss, which was wriggling on his pillow ''... but for thís little guy, a more warm and steady house would do...''

Leafos nodded. ''Of course, eh... Wanna stay with me and my dad for a few days? When the weather has cleared up, we'll ask Willy the Builder to build you a new home... A real home. But for now, you have to come with me. And we have to call Doc Patchingo, maybe he can identify this kitty... People first tell him when they lost a piñata, he's the vet after all.''

Ameena didn't hestitate. She picked Katchie up, got under Leafos' colorful umbrella and hoped her drawings and food reserves wouldn't waste away in the abundant moisture.

''My other piñatas can stay in the garden?''

''I think so, yes. Whirlms like this kind of weather, and that Bunnycomb has a waterproof rabbit shack... Only piñata you have to worry about, is Kitty here. To me he seems... kind of fragile.''

''He is... I can feel him shivering against my chest, and apart from the rain it isn't even thát cold!''

''Let's get inside quickly, then.''

Leafos didn't want to surprise Ameena and her newly found friend with a visit from Dastardos...

_Half an hour later, at Leafos'_

''Patchingo is on his way. Now, do you want another cup of hot chocolate?''

Ameena shook her head. The other girl and her father had LOADED her with the warm, sweet liquid!

''I've got Katchie some steamed trou-ouut!'' Storkos called dramatically. Her voice echoed all over the room. People with a great sense of hearing would've heared her far away, in the Village.

''Thank you'' Ameena said, just because Katchie didn't have a voice to thank anyone with. ''I'll feed it to him...''

With the Kittyfloss and a plate full of trout on her lap, Ameena looked like some kind of friendly aunty. She reminded Leafos of her own aunt, Jardineiro's sister, who had past away recently.

She missed her. And Jardineiro missed her too, Leafos could tell by the way his eyes glinstered when he looked at Ameena.

To others Jardineiro might've always looked firm and emotionless, his own daughter could read his 'facial' expressions and body language like no other.

Leafos' pondering got interrupted by the front door sweeping open.

''D-d-doc Patchingo is here!'' a not so steady voice sounded. ''Wh-wh-which little piñata am I su-su-su...''

Patch was shocked. He saw Ameena, sitting in front of him on Jardineiro's couch! Leafos didn't tell him Ameena would be here!

Great Gods, she was sweet. She was feeding a little Kittyfloss, the way he had imagined she would feed their two year old son!

He indistinctly shook his head. No. No, the didn't have a child!

''Are you alright, Patch?'' Leafos asked, slightly worried. ''Should I get you something to drink? As you can see, the Kittyfloss' situation isn't very critical, and he's in great hands.''

''N-n-n-no'' Patch said, after he had found the word he had been looking for. Only the simplest word... would be repressed to the most far, outer corner of his mind... in _her _presence. How would he spur out the rest of his sentence, without saying anything stupid or... you know, faint!

''Hi Patch'' Ameena said, in an attempt to put the blue monkey at ease. ''Glad you came to check Katchie... Oh, my excuses, I already named him, I know I shouldn't assume I can just keep him, I just... I like this cat, you know.''

''That-that-that... that's alright, Ameena...'' She had remembered his name! Or, was it because he had introduced himself as he had stormed in? And wow... What was she wearing, a mask? But wasn't that one from Paper Pets..? Did they deal in human masks too, nowadays? However, it looked stunning on her, eventhough he preferred her real face over any mask anytime...

''Okay'' Ameena shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable too now that the man was staring at her. ''So, no reports of a lost Kittyfloss then?''

''No'' Patch answered. ''J-j-just a mi-mi-missing Ponocky and a-a-a missing Geckie... Nothing to-to-to worry about, though... Usually lost piñatas just-t come back to-t-t-to their owner...''

Jardineiro, who actually HAD feelings himself, but didn't have much understanding about the feelings of others, rudely interrupted Patch.

''Just check the Kittyfloss then!'' he grumbled irritated. ''Don't you have other cases after this? Arghh... Just TELL us if it has an infection or something, and FIX that paw of his! He can't walk around with such a paw forever, matter of fact, he can't walk around with a paw like that AT ALL...''

Ameena was just a little shocked by Jardineiro's rage, just a little. Patch however, got back to his senses due to the old man's tumult.

''I... I... I will see what I can do'' he said with a more steady and clear voice than before. ''Doesn't look-look-look all too bad...''

''GOOD'' Jardineiro exclaimed.

''Let's see... This will need a splint and some bandages, and...'' He almost lost it again, now that he came this close to Ameena. She smelled great! Was she wearing some expensiver perfume, of was it just the scent of flowers, wet skin, grass and vegtables?

Could drive any man crazy! He hoped the other men in the Village would never get this close to Ameena... Never ever.

Don't lose it, Patch. Help the Kittyfloss

''Ehm... Bandages. Yeah. Bandages.''

Patch started to search for bandages in his aid kit. Jardineiro glanced at Leafos like 'what the hell is wrong with him?' and Leafos made a heart-shape with her hands, when Katchie had distracted Ameena's attention.

Jardineiro's eyes widened. 'Noooooooo' he thought 'Ameena is about... 17 years old, even younger maybe? Does Patch even know that? I betcha he's no pedophile...'

''No Katchie! Don't pull my ha... Ouch! Now you remind me even more of Atsou!''

Patch' heart skipped a beat. Atsou? There was another man in her life? Who would come that close, that he even could pull Ameena's hair? Noooooooo... He would die, something inside him died already, he...

Then Katchie tried to pull Ameena mask of, and she laughed: ''Yep, just like my little brother...''

Pheww...

''I-I need to test Katch-Katchie on a f-few common pi-pi-piñata diseases...'' Patch stumbled in his relief.

''Cool! I always wanted to be a vet, when I was younger...'' Ameena said. ''Fixing those little animals up, is just... An awesome job. It can make them so happy, and it makes their life worth living again...''

How. On. Earth. Could. She. Be. More. PERFECT to him?

''R-r-r-r-really?''

''Yes. But then I found out I had to study ve-ry long for it...'' Her face clouded. ''Vet-training... I'm afraid it's way too hard for me...''

''N-n-no, I'm sure it's not!'' Patch's heart skipped some beats again, but this time he didn't mind. ''I-I-I can t-t-teach you so-some things about... ve-ve-veterinary stuff! I-i-if you want...''

''Sure! Sounds great...''

''G-g-good. 'Cause n-n-now I'm going to learn you h-h-how to use th-this a-a-advanced equipment, i-in order to... T-t-test them... T-t-t-the lungs of the piñatas and-and and s-such...''


	7. Pretty Girls Rock

**Pretty Girls Rock**

''Hahahahaahah... You're hilarious, Fannie!''

''But I wasn't joking!''

Petula and Fannie were chilling at the Post Office. It was their favorite hang-out, they would just turn the 'Open' sign, so that it would say 'Closed'. Petula would tell her parents she had closed the store because she had to catch up on her homework, if they even found out about it at all. They never paid much attention to their oldest and only daughter...

''Tsssss, you's so stupid!'' Petula mocked. ''There doesn't exist such a thing as a piñata vampire that feeds himself with the life sweets of other piñatas... Go get yo facts straight...''

''But I've heard about it! My sister told me so, it lives with Dastardos and...''

Petula giggled and took a bite of her Moozipan-bar. It didn't give her much satisfaction, though.

Yes, she laughed, but she realized how boring her times with Fannie had become lately... It had been ages since she had laughed at other than Fannie's stupid comments.

They should definately do something fun, something exciting. Should they sneak out and go to one of the clubs at the Central City, near the Piñata Central? Should they start another rumour, bully another girl, cop another pair of shoes?

No! Boring! Been there, done that!

Frustrated, she switched the radio to another channel. She could do with some R&B, from outside the Island. Her favorite artist was Nicki Minaj.

The one that was up now, she didn't like though... She quickly turned the radio down. She didn't like the featured artist.

''Bottoms Up! I love that song, turn it up!''

''Ughh... I don't. Trey Songz ruins all of it. Ain't gon' turn that up.''

''I love Trey Songs. And Drake too.''

''But your taste is bad. You like the Rhinoceros Boys too.''

''They're very handsome...''

If there was one thing that Petula really detested about Fannie, it would be her affection towards every single boy she even saw. Sure, Petula would look like some boy-crazy girl too to other people, but she had her motives. She only dated - or chased after - boys that would do her reputation well or would buy her loads of stuff, she could separate love from... uhm... fake, profitable love!

Fannie was different. If she saw a boy with a fit body or a pair of blue eyes, she'd fall in love instantly. She had even loved Seedos for once - a few years ago - which certainly disgusted Petula! She remembered a conversation they used to have during that period:

_'I can't believe you! Seedos is... ewww. Besides, he's UGLY!'_

_'Petula, he has purple eyes. PURPLE EYES! And he's so cute when he speaks his riddles...''_

_'You don't even know what riddles are!'_

_'I do!'_

Arghh... If Seedos would've liked Fannie back, Petula would've broke with Fannie for good. Luckily, the seed-guy didn't seem to fancy to give his seed to Fannie.

Hehe, getting rejected by some seed man! Cerrrrtainly wasn't good to your self-esteem!

''Petula, do you know who's very, very, VE-RY sexy?''

''Tell me'' Petula said, not very uninterested. She wanted to take another bite of her Moozipan-bar, but then she realized she had eaten all of it already. Gosh, she was hungry!

''Sparcticus!''

''Huh, what's with him? Oh, you think HE'S sexy... Fannie... Get some contacts, jeez, you...''

''Oh, do you think he doesn't like blue eyes? Would he like brown eyes better you think?'' Fannie asked, being slightly insecure now. ''What if he doesn't like blonde either? Dye my hair? I know, it's really ugly on me, blonde...''

Petula wasn't the brightest herself either... but compared to Fannie, she was genius! No doubt she had to find some new friends... But uptil now nobody in the Village had been cool enough to hang with her.

Or..? How could she forget..?

''That's not the kind of contacts I meant'' Petula said as patient as possible. ''But however... Speaking of contacts... Do you know about the new girl yet?''

''What new girl?''

''She was at the store a few days ago, her name's Ameena. She's very pretty.''

''Grrr... Do you think Sparcticus had a crush on her?''

Petula really needed a moment, how on Earth could anybody be as desperate as Fannie was? Besides... It was obvious Sparcticus was in a love-hate relationship with that dessert-rat of a Sahari. No way he would ever like... CARE about Fannie at all! She was just the annoying post office chick...

''I'm not 101 percent sure about that, but I don't think he has. Listen, this girl is cool! She's like, totally... One of us! She's like... gorgeous and stuff... You will like her.''

''Well, I am not 110... 011... 101 percent sure about that'' Fannie said while staring at the ground.

Fannie was the most insecure girl. Ever. Her skimpy clothes and slutty behaviour were more of a mask to her than the mailbox she'd put over her face!

If Petula was this passionate about that new girl... She would come second place, she might even get dumped! She had no one else to turn to, she had insulted every single teenage girl in the Village... What was she supposed to do, hang with the elderly?

Petula could tell how Fannie felt by her body language. She pulled an arm around the other girl to cheer her up, and started to convince her of letting Ameena in.

''Don't look so miserable! It's not like... this girl is gon' replace you, no... She's nice, we can hang out with her, she can give us, like, beauty tips to become like, even prettier! But no one can take yo place! You my bestie!''

Fannie still wasn't sure about this, but the words did her well. It had been a long time since Petula had called her her bestie. Still, she had this unpleasant feeling this new girl was far more interesting than she was...

''Look, I've seen her without mask, you know? She has the longest eyelashes and the lushest lips! I mean... '' she continued at a conspiring tone ''if she teaches us how to get those too... Sparcticus wouldn't even THINK of looking at some other girl than you, let alone this little Sahari, you know her? The bitch from the dessert.''

''Ewww, she's like, ewww...''

''Exactly. And you, you're like wowww, and you're gonna be even more wow with some help from this new chick.''

Her eyes started to sparkle. ''You think?''

''I'm sure. And that's júst where the fun begins.''

Petula played with the goldfish in the fishbowl she wore as an hat, her favorite accessory when she was bored or needed to find the right words, the latter being the case now...

''Ya know... When we have Ameena with us... we're a... how you call that? Triplet? Trio? However! Now we're just a lonely pack of TWO pretty girls, with her... We're like, a real CLIQUE! Imagine... Imagine how we can, you know, take over the Village even more, you know. _I _can play the pack leader, you can play the...'' The slut? ''... the sexy girl, and she can play Little Miss Innocent!''

Fannie looked even more interested now.

''Sounds... fun.''

''Is... fun!''

Petula imitated Fannie's way of speaking. Fannie didn't always like the ways of her so-called friend, but after all those they'd known each other, she got used to it.

But Petula had continued plotting.

''We can use her, ya know. We can use her. But first we need to get her... not to like Leafos so much anymore! She gon' ruin all the fun, ya know. She's gonna say 'Oooh, Ameena, ya can't trust Petula and Fannie!' Which she indeed can't, actually. But she's not supposed to know that yet...''

''When is she?''

''Never! She had to think we're her best maties for life! Now, here's the thing. You need to help me.''

Petula gestured she was thirsty. Fannie reached out to give her the half-full water bottle.

Petula took a few big swigs, until the bottle was empty.

''Ahh! Thanks. So, now. You need to get Ameena to the Post Office.''

''How?''

''Is easy! Just visit her garden when you know she'll be there, in the late noon or so.''

''What if she's not home?''

''Dontcha worry. She'll be home. And you'll do fine getting her HERE. Tell her about the Post Office and act as nice as you can... Tell her that if she wants to send anything... to anyone... yeah, she has all of her family in the world outside you know, she probably wants to send them exotic packages... And her friends there, of course... So, she definately will come to the Post Office.''

''And what do I do when she visits me?''

''Well then you just...'' Petula chuckles. ''Then you just text me and I'll talk ma talk. All yóu need to do, is getting her to like you. Nothing more, nothing less.''

Suddenly 'Super Bass' played loudly.

''I though you had turned the radio down? What... It's down! Great Gods... This place's haunted! Save yaself!''

Fannie was about to jump out of some window, but Petula took her phone out.

''It's my cell, dummy! Hello, who's there?''

''Petula!''

''Yes dad? Sup?''

''Where are you?''

''At Fannie's... I mean, at the Post Office. Why?''

''First you CLOSE the store before closing time... BEFORE CLOSING TIME! Do you know how much money you made us lose? WELL, QUITE A FEW CHOCO COINS LADY!''

''Yeah, yeah, whatever.''

''Don't. Talk. That. Tone.''

''Whatever.''

''You know, you closing the store is ONE thing, but you talking to me LIKE THAT and LOSING THE YOUNG KITTYFLOSSES are THREE DAMN THINGS LADY!''

''What?''

Petula felt like her heart stopped beating for a minute. How could she..? No, that wasn't true. She actually _cared _for the baby Kittyflosses! They were the prettiest little accesoires ever, if you took one with you to a party - in a cute little LV bag for example - you didn't even need to dress up, all eyes'd be on you instantly!

''That's right, lady. The Kittyflosses.''

''No! I'm sure I closed their cage...''

''No you did not. Its door was open, it was widely open! They were out of water, and their food bowls were empty! Do you really think skinny piñatas SELL? We ain't no model agency!''

''No! I take great care of them, you know how much I love them...''

''I DON'T call that taking good care of them, I absolutely DON'T!''

''I never meant to lose them, oh ma gosh!''

''Then YOU bring them back!''

Petula broke the connection. Then she turned to Fannie.

''Just got bad news...'' She sighed. She actually felt ashamed about something, she never did! ''Seems like I gotta go to Patch... And ask him if anyone has found one of my dearly beloved piñatas, I mean er, merchandise.''

Merchandise. That's what daddy called them.


	8. Cats Can Cry?

Cats Can Cry?

''Purr, Patchie!''

''Petula?'' Patch irritatedly assumed it was her. That fake Kittyfloss voice had given him a clue.

He wasn't happy about this. That girl walking in was like a rainstorm ravaging his little clinic! Well, not just his clinic, his pride and dignity too. She always seemed to find the right insult, that one insult that could actually hurt him.

He fervently hoped she hadn't found out about him liking Ameena yet! Damn, he should've prayed to the Gods before he went to sleep last night! Yes, if he'd pray every day, the Gods would keep that pain of a girl out of his store - and out of his love life too!

''What do you need? Has one of your piñatas has gotten ill, or..?''

''No. Not really. I've... I've lost a few.''

''Theyre dead already? S-sorry, I'm a doctor, not a shaman, there's nothing I can do for them.''

''No, not like that! They just walked away... A few pieces of merchandise walked away...''

''A few? How many, what species, can you describe them?''

Sometimes he felt like a was some kind of police officer, instead of a vet. People asked him to do the strangest things, and they didn't only call for his help if they had lost a piñata. They would also visit him if they'd lost a toddler, an older child or even their hat...

The latter being absolutely ridiculous! Opening a lost-and-found-office on the island, would be a great investment!

''I've lost eight. Baby Kittyflosses, high value ones, you know. They all look the same... Same colors and stuff, all yellow, young and tiny... The pattern of them stripes varies a little, though...''

''Kittyflosses, you say?''

Patch sure had found one of those Kittyflosses. He had checked it this afternoon!

The Kitty hadn't been in such a good condition... Nothing serious, no infections or serious injuries, but by how skinny and untended it was. Besides, it's paw was wounded... But that could've been from his dangerous travel from the village to Ameena's garden.

Patch could tell sending it back to Petula wouldn't be the best decison anyway. It was having such a great time with Ameena! He even envied that little kitty kat!

But no, he had to... It was part of the law. He wasn't just a vet, he also had to bring all lost piñatas back home! Even if it was against his conscience and beliefs...

''I, I ehm...''

No. He couldn't. Ameena loved that little piñata, and she took great care of it! If he took this piñata from her, he would hurt two innocent beings at once.

And Ameena júst happened to be his favorite innocent being on the whole island...

''I-I-I haven't s-s-seen any of your Kit-t-tyflosses, I be-lie-lie-lieve.''

That was only half a lie. Katchie wasn't Petula's anymore, it was Ameena's now! Katchie had chosen himself! If he had loved Petula so much, he would have stayed with her in the first place! Well, he hadn't. He wanted Ameena to be his new owner...

''Please, doctor Patchingo!''

The tone of Petula's voice had changed, it had become more fragile. She passionately tried to wipe the tear off that had rolled all the way down to her chin, but when she did five others took its place.

Patch was slightlty shocked by this, he had never seen Petula crying before. He never even realized she could!

He shivered. Crying Petula was even more scary than Petula laughing!

''Don-don-don't you worry...'' Patch floudered. ''They'll be alright... We, we'll f-find all of them, they will all ret-t-turn s-safely, healthy and ha-ha-ha-hap-p-py...''

He hated to lie. Sure he was going to search for the remaining seven, but giving Katchie to her? No way, he couldn't! And he wouldn't get in trouble, she would never find out! She would most probably never see Katchie again, and if she did, she would not reconize him! She couldn't even separate two Kittyflosses from another, let alone she would reconize this one random cat!

Petula started to sob even louder. ''Are you sure, Mr Patchingo?''

''Y-y-y-y-es, indeed.''

Without him wanting it, Petula put her arms around his waist. Before he even knew it he was caught up in a tight embrace...

''I... can't... breathe...''

''They're all I care for!'' Petula cried desperately. ''They are so cute! When they purr! They always... enthiusiastic... when I walk in...''

''I-I understand h-how you feel'' Patch gasped. ''Th-th-the magic of happy p-piñatas affects a-all of us... Bu-bu-but... C-can y-you p-please let go..?''

''No! I won't rest until my sweet little Kitty Kats are back home!''

''I meant to s-say... Can y-you l-let ME go? Y-you're g-g-grip's kinda tight...''

''Oh, yes. Of course.''

Petula released Patch and as soon as he was free he started to pant. ''D-d-don't... Don't you e-e-e-e-e-ever do that again!'' he managed to say. ''A-a-as for now...'' He really needed to MAKE himself suggest this... ''M-maybe.. We c-c-can loo-look for the Kit-t-tyflosses ou-outside? O-on the edge of the j-j-jungle perhaps, I k-know wild Kittyflosses l-l-like wandering there...''

There were two reasons Patch felt sorry he said that right after the words had left his lips.

First reason; he hated Petula. She was annoying. Now she was sad she didn't behave all too bad but usually she was annoying, rude and loud. Besides, now she was using all his tissues, if she went on crying like this he'd run out before the end of the evening!

Second reason; Patch was a little bit scared of the rainforest at night... A little bit? No, that would be a very BIG little bit, the lurking shadows and the hymns of the night creatures scared the hell out of him...

Not to mention, there were old myths and folkore stories saying the Dark Gods hid themselves in the tops of the trees and the hidden underground caves, and if they were lucky to see a lonely, lost person at night... They would give the word 'lost' another meaning, they'd jump on you from above or rise up from the ground to grab you, strangle you and eat you, and they wouldn't even give your family the chance to find your bones or mask back! No, they would drag them to their secret hide-out and add them to their collection. The last few decades no one had ever actually found one of these places, but according to the stories from long, long ago, the walls were build out of bones and decorated with drawings made with blood, and of course the masks of the poor, poor victims...

No, this was NOT the way Patch wanted to end!

''The jungle?'' Petula asked tentative. ''You sure about that? That's pretty dangerous...''

''I-it is'' Patch agreed. ''St-till... I feel like we should g-go, if you e-ever want to see your K-k-kittyflosses back...''


	9. Rainforest Meetings

**Rainforest Meetings**

''Don-don-don't you worry...''

Petula wondered how she should NOT worry when her driver was a bumbling idiot. He seemed pretty damn nervous himself.

Not that she resented him for that. They were driving on a bumpy, sandy path in the outskirts of the jungle, and if Patch's car hadn't had disco lights attached to it, they wouldn't have seen anything. The trees were so high, that they blocked out all light of the moon and the stars.

If Petula hadn't known better, she would've thought there were indeed Dark Gods or other monsterous creatures hiding up there, lurking for innocent, light-hearted preys... But she had never believed that kind of folklore, the only reason those dusty-ass stories still were told, were to entertain old ladies and make kids not go to the jungle at night...

''GUA! GUA!''

The dire sound made Petula shiver, and she pulled her thin, yellow scarf closer.

''What was THAT?''

''D-don't you worry... That's j-j-j-just th-the n-nocturnal call of th-th-the G-g-galagoogoo...''

Patch had no idea if what he told the girl was right. Galagoogoos sounded VERY differently from THAT, that sounded sinister, that sounded... demon. In the most fortunate case, it would be some new kind of sour piñata!

''GUA! GUA!''

''It's getting closer! It's following us! Can't you speed up that stupid car wreck of yours?''

Petula didn't want to be here, not even for another minute! Evil stuff was going on, this was FAR out of her comfort zone. Aghh, if she had only closed the Kittyfloss cage more carefully... If she had only stayed at the store that night...

If she had only waited searching for them 'til tomorrow! What was she thinking? It was not like, baby Kittyflosses would get to the other side of the island over one night!

''We have to go back! We'll search the jungle tomorrow! I don't want to end up a 'Guagua'-snack!''

''I th-thought you didn't belie-lieve those stories?''

''How do you know that?''

'''C-c-cause you always m-made fu-fu-fun of me... for believing them!''

''Well... that was before I had been introduced to the terrifying TRUTH!''

''O-o-okay! Okay. I-I-I get your point. F-fighting won't g-get us anywh-where. We-we-we'll continue l-looking for them tomo-mo-morrow... B-b-by day.''

Patch was about to turn his car, when another eerie sound infiltrated the rainforest. It sounded unearhly to Petula, they just had to get out of there! Fast! Strange enough, Patch had shut down the engines... He seemed to be listening carefully, waiting for the thing that caused the noise... Did he want to find out what this creature was, did he want to fight it, or investigate it thorougly like doctors did?

Well, Petula certainly didn't! She pulled Patch's white coat to draw his attention, and while she did so she noticed all the musceles of his back felt abnormally tense. She also felt something moist, which she disgustedly realized was cold sweat.

''Patch!'' she whispered importunately ''are you crazy? That like... THING is coming... It's getting closer, I can feel it.''

That was true. The 'THING', whatever it was, brought its own stifling atmosphere with it. With every second that passed, the midnight-junlge air became more and more dense, now it had reached an intensity that could suffocate little to medium sized piñatas...

''Hush! Keep ya mouth shut...''

It was nothing like Patch to talk to others like that. He was usually the one being sneered at, not other way round!

But him not stuttering concerned Petula the most... What had happened to him? Had some... pernicious entity taken possession of his soul? Had he simply turned nuts?

No, Patch hadn't. He was just listening very concentrated. He reconized the sound this 'thing' - as Petula was referring to it - was making. Was it alien, ominous, the song of death?

Certainly, yes.

Did Patch fear it, though?

Not at all!

This was no Dark God, unknown demon piñata or undead villager! This was the common, ordinairy and relatively harmless - but annoying and offensive! - hymn of... Dastardos!

''I'm no piñata owner, I have nothing to fear'' Patch mumbled.

''What?''

''Shhhh! You're right, he's pretty much near us now. Don't you worry... He isn't out here to get _us_...''

Patch stepped out of the car, and gestured to Petula she had to do the same.

She quickly said a prayer, hoping the Gods would have mercy, and then swallowed her fear. All trembling and clumsy she left the car seat she kind of considered as 'safe', to follow a crazy doctor into the dark, dangerous looking jungle while she knew something was lurking for them in those bushes...

''Aaaah!''

She'd stumbled over the roots of a huge tree... But it had felt like the tentacle of something dark and slimy had caught her ankle... This was nauseating, she even started to hallucinate...

''Keep quiet!'' Patch hissed. ''It's just a tree...''

The chanting got louder and more intense. The air got even more moisture and heavy than before, and Petula couldn't take all this!

When the squeeky sound of a terrified piñata added to the dark symphony, Patch had to grab Petula by her arm and close her mouth with his hand. He knew she was about to scream as if she were that little poor piñata herself...

''No... Sound!'' he exclaimed.

''Hhmmh!'' Petula struggled to escape from the grib of the mad monkey. But no, she couldn't. He was stronger.

''No sound! I'll show you what's going on, okay?'' he said, trying to stay as friendly and polite as possible. ''But... don't do anything stupid! This enemy can't harm us, but he ehm... I just don't like him that much!'' he hasted to say, while blushing heavily underneath his mask.

Petula nodded. Whatever, this doc had lost his mind. If their end could only be quick and painless...

''Okay then.''

Patch released Petula; and she certainly was glad to breathe again!

''Walk with me.''

She gasped as Patch grabbed her wrist. She really didn't want any more bruises on her perfectly flawless skin, the Indiana Jones look was sóoo not her...

''Come on.''

Patch pulled her into the bushes, into the dark, away from the warm, reassuring disco-like car lights, and the opportunity to just jump into it and race away...

''Look!''

Patch had shifted a few low-hanging branches. An open space, overgrown with white orchids and illuminated by the most wonderful silver moonlight, unfolded before their eyes. Petula was glad this place wasn't all too dark; being creeped up from behind or battling an invisible enemy were situations that frequently popped up into her nightmares...

On the other side, this not being just a nightmare of hers was a rather dissappointing thing...

''You hear that?''

Petula had totally forgotten about the chanting. She'd been so frightened that she'd been locked in her own little bubble... But now that she saw what caused the chanting, a little bit of her fear slipped away. This was no scary non-existent folklore monster! This was just...

''Dastardos!''

Dastardos looked up.

''Patch'' he hissed. ''What are you... And who's the lovely lady? Hmm, she looks like my next victim...''

''WHAT?''

Petula's fear returned with the intensity of a tsunami... Was being murdered by a piñata reaper really the way she would end? She'd imagined she would die greater, more brave and sturdy, in a battle with one of the Dark Gods or some huge, vicious piñata...

''Not you, you idiot!'' Patch snarled as he'd noticed the look upon her mask. ''Thát poor innocent thing over there...''

He pointed at a Kittyfloss, only a few metres away of the floating stature. It was laying next to a poison ivy, that was probably the reason it had gotten ill... Yes, this was the piñata that had made those terrified noises, now though it was all pale and silent, as if it already were dead.

This was ridiculous. Petula had of course heard the stories of Dastardos. She even believed in them, they were part of the twisted Piñata Island-reality... But she really didn't want to see this happen! She didn't want to see a piñata get smacked by this plain evil man, especially not a Kittyfloss, her favorite species in the whole wide world! She had even dedicated her sense of clothing to those animals!

Then, to make the situation even worse and make her stomach turn only more tightly, she noticed this was a very small Kittyfloss... Just a baby... Underneath it's pale veiling, she could still see hints of yellow... It had colors! This was no random wild piñata, but one of the domestic kittens she'd lost!

''No!'' Petula screamed as she fell down on her knees. ''You can't do this to me!''

''No, Daz'' Patch mocked. ''She still has to sell that...''

Dastardos grinned - which was very unusual already - but grinning about a joke his archenemy made was absolutely insane!

''Hahaha, good one, Tchingo. But certainly not good enough to let you have this furry little piñata!''

_No, you need its life sweet!_

Huh? This was the first time Patch had even thought about this... Would Dastardos reap piñatas because he needed their life sweets, not just because he was a sick and twisted creature? That would definately make sense... Dastardos went hard for those life sweets, almost like he needed them to make him stay alive... Could it be?

''Dastardos... I-I-I'll let you have this one.''

Petula's heart crippled when she heard that! How could he? She like... _cared _for that little Kittyfloss! If Patch wouldn't... She would fight Dastardos herself, she was brave enough to do so!

''I know you need them to... Stay alive'' Patch continued. ''And I don't have my doctor's gear with me. Only a few bandages and patches, but I'm afraid those won't be enough to fix up our little friend here...''

Dastardos smirked. ''I don't need them to stay alive, you fool!'' _But you're damn close... I need them to keep the HUMAN part of me alive, to keep my sense and intelligence... ''_And BACK OFF with your newly found arrogance!''

''Come on, Petula'' Patch said a little offended, but as calmly as possible. ''We need to go now... You really don't wanna see this. And please stop crying.''

She tried to resist the tight grip of the vet, but she couldn't. As she saw Dastardos lifting his notorious wacking stick, grimacing evilly, she turned her back to the dying Kittyfloss, partly forlorn, partly relieved this crazy jungle adventure was over.

''I'm so sorry, little one. There's nothing I can do for you...'' she whispered, walking back to Patch's idling car, praying the Kittyfloss wouldn't suffer too much.


	10. When Women Get Hysterical

**When Ladies Get Hysterical**

''Fannie!''

An alarmed voice cut through the harmonious silence of the Post Office. Fannie, who was busy doing her morning exercises looked up to greet her hysterical friend.

''Hi, Petula. You wake up earlier than most piñ - ''

''Safe me that opening line! You use that one wayyy too often, jeez, try something different, keeps the customers entertained!''

Petula was breathless, wildly gesturing at Fannie and her hair was a mess. There was definately something wrong with her. Her clothes weren't alright either, they were covered in mud and something gross Fannie couldn't place. What was up with Petula being up at five in the morning anyway? Usually she didn't get out of bed before her parents forced her to...

''Petula, you look tired! And Gosh, you're a mess! What happened? You look upset...''

''YES!'' Petula squealed. ''I am upset!''

''It shows...''

''OF COURSE it shows! I've just seen the most terrible thing... the most ghastly... the most gruesome...'' Petula started trembling again, she'd been shaking and shivering constantly since that horrible encounter with Dastardos. Nothing in the whole wide world had ever knocked her off her feet like that!

''The most gruesome what?'' Fannie asked as delicate as she could, while her surprisement and concerns were increasing. ''What happened to you? You look like you've been up all night... You have, haven't you? Where have you been?''

Petula didn't know how to answer all these questions at once. She didn't even know how to talk about this without falling back to incomprehensible babbling, let alone putting this in such clear understandable words even Fannie would know what she were talking about!

Great Gods, how was she gonna express herself? Would she end up like all those people in them crazy insitutes?

''Petula, you need to talk to me! Are you even listening?''

Fannie started to lose her cool, her friend being in such a bad mental condition made her terribly upset. She LOVED Petula, eventhough she could act like a female Barkbark at times! They were BFFs, what was she to do if she'd lose her BFF?

''F-F... Fannie...''

''Yes?'' Fannie asked, partly anxious, partly hopeful.

''I-I-I'll be alright, but... Y'know what I've seen?''

Fannie shaked her head and waited full of suspense while Petula was licking her chapped lips, preparing the moment that she had to speak about her traumatizing experience...

''Fannie'' she finally spoke, after a few minutes of complete silence ''I have seen Dastardos, the piñata reaper...''

''Hello Patchhie!'' a woman's voice sounded exuberant. ''Gooood morning, my favorite vet on the Island!''

No, not THIS woman! Patch's headache instantly got worse.

He really couldn't cope with this NOW... He had just experienced the most HORRIBLE and WEARISOME night of his life... Why, why Gods, why now? It wasn't even really day yet, it was hardly the break of dawn!

''L-l-lottie... What's wrong? I-i-it's about five o'clock in the morning...''

''Nope Chimpie, you've been sleeping! It's 8 AM, the sun's shining brightly and the first customers are about to visit my store... Hurry up, and open the curtains, you could really do with some vitamin D...''

Patch growled, as he slided the old, brownish curtain open - just a little bit! When he was tired, his eyes got all sensitive and prickly.

Then he reached out for his cup of coffee, drunk all of the dark brown liquid at once, and looked at Lottie the way he saw her; like he couldn't care less!

''Hmm, you don't look all too well, Patch. What did you do? Spend the night with your little... girlfriend!''

Lottie winked teasingly at him and Patch was about to throw up. What did SHE know about his girlfriend, er, object of affection? Had the rumour spread, who had even found out, was him liking her really THAT obvious..? What did Ameena think of it herself, was she disgusted like he'd expected, was she indifferent about it, or, maybe... Did she like him back..?

NO! No, she certainly didn't, why couldn't he get that straight?

''W-w-w-w-what girlfriend?''

''You know... That pretty girl, the new girl, ehm, what's her name again? Almira, Alecia, no, no... Ameena, yes, that's her name!'' Lottie grinned triumphantly. ''You like her, don't you?''

Patch's heart skipped a few beats. Nooo... This was too awful! He had to make something up, no matter how stupid it was, he needed an alibi.

''I-I-I don't p-p-particu-culary LIKE Ameena, she's j-j-j-just a v-very nice person...''

''Yeah, she's nice huh? Nice enough to draw during working hours and to get all nervous and excited whenever she speaks to you... Come on, Patchie! Anyone who's got a practiced eye for love affairs can spot you have a crush on her!  
>And if you were wondering, yes, I am very skillful when it comes to spotting affection and all those things! I used to breed smaller piñatas, you know. I've got Master Romancer awards for Bunnycombs, Syrupents and Mousemallows.''<p>

Why oh why? Was it really THAT obvious, THAT crystal clear? Had she told anyone already? What did she want from him anyways?

And WHAT was going on with her comparing Ameena and him with smaller piñatas?

''Ahh, I'm experienced in spotting those looks too... Patchingo, silly, I'm a merchand! You look júst like that customer from last month, who was forced to sell his old loyal Barkbark due financial problems! Hahaha, you're not happy about me knowing the truth, are you? And now you're wondering what I want from you? Well, I'll just tell you...''

Lottie's grin widened.

''Don't be afraid, doc, I haven't told anyone yet... And I won't, if you provide me some free goods whenever needed...''

''Wh-what are y-y-you ta-tat-alking about? I only s-sell cough drops a-and b-b-b-bandages...''

''Yes, yes, yes Patchie! And aren't those excactly what I need?''

''B-bandages?'' Patch chuckled.

''No, cough drops! You know that... I'm a... Let's say a _little bit _addicted to the wonderful side effects...''

Patch let out a sigh. He wasn't really happy about getting bankrupt 'cause he'd to provide whole stockages of cough drops to some crazy old lady, but anything was better than Ameena finding out what how he really felt. This was serious. No one was to find out about his little crush, it would make him look ridiculous.

''Fine'' he growled surly. ''I'll give you this piece of paper, which proves you need cough drops on a daily basis for health issues and stuff... It gives you free medication in every pharmacy or drugstore on the Island. Enjoy.''

He handed Lottie the just-signed papers, and she started jump around the room, all euphoric and hyperventilating, as if she already were on drugs.

Great Gods, that woman was a natural disaster! How the..? Why had Patch even agreed with this, signing those papers to a woman like that was nearly equal to kissing his qualification goodbye!

Why had he given in to a customer that had tried to blackmail him anyway? It was not like Ameena hearing a rumour he liked her was worse than Lottie causing a car accident...

''A-a-a-are you sure you c-can handle t-this? Y-y-you h-have to know that g-great responsibi-bility comes with th-this all t-too generous offer... D-don't take to-oo much at once, it's like alcohol-l, enjoy it s-s-slowly and keep your d-d-dosages in mind, t-t-this stuff can be -''

''Ahh, Patch, you crazy little monkey!'' Lotie interrupted him. ''I know how to handle cough drops! They mainly exist out of honey, don't they? I don't feel like worrying about ridiculously expensive refined pots of honey...''

Patch slapped his mask with his palm. ''These are no - ''

''Now, if you excuse me! I have my own business to run, I can't hang around in yours all day! Just _endow_ me a few of these bottles, and please no further rambling! I ain't no chattering layabout like that higgler of a Leafos!''

Rigidly, Patch put a few bottles of medicine in a plastic bag and handed it to Lottie.

''Thank you SO MUCH my dear! Now, have a nice day and don't forget; tomorrow I might be báááa-ááááck!''

Lottie waved enthiusiastically at Patch as she walked through the door, and a few seconds after she'd slammed, her voice continued echoeing through the room.

Patch fell back in his chair.

Why ON EARTH, why on EARTH all this stuff had to happen especially to him? Didn't those damned Gods have enough innocent, ignorant people to choose from?

Ugh, he'd better close the store and catch up on some hours of sleep... If he'd get the chance at least, piñatas could get sick any time of the day, hopefully Dastardos wasn't in a hungry mood!


	11. Package For Atsou

**Package For Atsou**

''Normally I don't easily admit this, but you sure did great job at growing those apple trees!''

''Why, thank you!''

Ameena paused watering a young hazel tree to wipe some sweat of her forehead and give Seedos her most generous smile. She knew how much it meant when Seedos gave away a compliment about someone's plants, Leafos had told her.

Anyone Seeods had ever given a comliment, had became an award-winning pumpkin grower at the very least. There were even people who had made it to an own florist shop, but Ameena didn't have those ambitions, she just wanted to grow the highest and most vertile trees she could.

Those made the most money, and provided the most food for her piñatas.

''I can see your beautiful plants have helped you expanding your piñata collection...'' Seedos wandered as if he had been reading her mind. ''You've got several different colored Flutterscotches already, good job! Just make sure they don't eat all your flowers...''

''Don't you worry about those! I grow plants for consuming, not for wasting away eventually!''

''I know, but...'' Seedos frowned, getting this worried look on his face Ameena found amusing. He looked like a concerned daddy, priceless!

''I know, Seedos'' she joked ''they grow up way too fast...''

''Exactly!'' Seedos agreed, way too much caught up in his own thoughts to consider the fact Ameena was just joking, ''the first gardener I've ever met who feels the same way! You truly are a great successor for my dad Ameena, you are!''

''Now, that is very flattering.''

Ameena reached out for her watering can again to provide her poppies with some water. It hadn't rained in a few days, so Ameena had to play a cute little rain cloud!

Haha, she never said that out loud, but she liked making up silly stuff like that while she was gardening. It made the difficult and sometimes monotonous work a lot more fun and appealing! And yes, her efforts had indeed paid off... This garden was unreconizable from the one she had arrived in a week and two days ago! Thís garden was a small piece of paradise...

''I have to go now, Ameena'' Seedos said suddenly, after he'd been talking to a bunch of buttercups. ''I have to search for new seeds! If I find any valuable ones, I'll bring you those. I'm sure you'll take great care of them!''

''Thank you!'' Ameena grinned. ''I appreciate it!''

She waved to Seedos as he walked towards the swamp, and miraculously he turned around and waved back at her! Ameena chuckled. This Seedos was certainly a cute kid... A little strange maybe, but very nice...

''Hi Ameena! I see you get along with Seedos pretty much, that's great!''

Ameena was startled. ''Leafos! I didn't even know you were in the garden!''

''Just arrived'' she sniggered. ''I know I can get on people's nerves by creeping them up all the time, but heck what! I enjoy it... But seriously, I'm glad you and Seedos get along! As you might know, he doesn't have many friends... Most people consider him rather strange.''

Ameena nodded. ''I know, he is, actually... But he's good-hearted, and he's funny!'' She shrugged. ''I don't give a Sour Sherbat about his reputation, I hang out with whoever I want. Regardless of what people say.''

''That's good Ameena, he really needs a friend like you... His best friend now, is some lame-ass Shellybean. He tried to learn it tricks, but it failed... I feel bad for him at times, and I'm worried too, about him living in that cold, dampy swamp and all that stuff... He's always been an odd child, but his situation worsens as he shows up less among the people! I believe you came to this Island right on time, I don't think it's too late to safe his sanity yet... He won't lose it, he won't... I hope he won't...''

''Of course he won't!'' Ameena wrapped her arm around Leafos' shoulder. The normally cheerful girl looked chagrin now. ''Seedos is a good kid, and you're just an overanxious big sister! Really, I like Seedos, he makes me miss my own brother, Atsou...''

''Have you heard anything from Atsou yet?'' Leafos asked while breaking away from Ameena's embrace, happy to change the subject. ''A letter, a message, anything..?''

''Not yet'' Ameena sighed. ''I still haven't been to the post office...''

''You definately should! He might have written you, or your mother, a friend, anyone. And maybe you can send him a package? You told me he likes food, didn't you? Why don't you collect some ripe fruits and buy some candy at Chewdini's? Anyone would like a package full of Piñata Island's delicacies... Delights is what we are specialized in, after all!''

''Sounds great!''

''I guess this is about right...'' Ameena murmured to herself. ''I think even Atsou would be pleased with a pile of food like THIS...''

Ameena looked at the profusely filled basket next to her. It contained self-grown apples, blueberries and blackberries, several kinds of sweets she had bought in the Village - candy canes, toffees, fudge, and even wine gums -, two blueberry muffins and a pot of coffee for her mother.

She had also included a letter, which said:

_Dear mama and Atsou,  
>I've send you some specialties from Piñata Island! This stuff is really good - I've grown the fruits myself!<br>Eventhough I miss you two very much, I really enjoy my stay here. You two should come over once, I'll pay the flight when I've made enough money (I make money with selling my fruits, vegtables and by sending piñatas to parties! Atsou, if you want I can arrange you a Zumbug for your 14th birthday, that's a really cool zebra-like piñata with real good candy in it!)  
>I've met loads of nice people. Leafos to start with, a girl of my age who makes sure I'm okay and helps me with my garden. She has a brother, Seedos, who's one year younger than her, and yeah, I get along with him pretty well too, but I must admit he's a bit eccentric (and NO Atsou, you are NOT going to bully him when you and mom come to visit me!).<br>One of the many remarkable things about the Island is, that Islanders have to wear masks when they go outside. They feel like their face is a private thing; something only lovers, family members and childhood friends can see. The masks are bound to personality and have to do something with an old Islander's Legend, but Leafos says she will explain me all that stuff later.  
>Some people really take the mask thing overboard, though! I've met a girl that dresses completely like a cat, and a man that wears a monkey suit all the time! I wonder why they do that... But I like it! If it weren't this warm on Piñata Island this often, I'd probably pick an animal suit too!<br>Anyways, I hope you are doing all right. How are your grades, Atsou? How's auntie Joanne doing, and how are Valentia and Theresa? Wish them well for me!  
>Lots of kisses XXXXX - Ameena<em>

She was looking forward to their reply already! How was she gonna wait for that..? Sending this message all the way to Europe would take at least five days, and it would take even longer for their reply to reach her, because European post organisations often didn't even know Piñata Island was even on the map... And it being located near the Bermuda Triangle made shipping complicated and dangerous!

''I'll just have to be patient...''

Ameena took the huge basket and headed to the Village, trying her best not to drop anything. Fruit tasted less yummie when it had fallen on the ground several times.

It was early afternoon in the Post Office, and Fannie was doing her nails. This was usually one of the most quiet parts of day; all people were either working in their gardens or stores or having their lunchbreak.

Petula had gone home a few hours ago to get some sleep. Fannie had found it hard to reassure Petula, because she knew she would be pretty creeped out herself if she had seen a scene like that! A floating, undead skeleton man taking the life of an innocent baby Kittyfloss... In the woods, at night, probably surrounded by even greater dangers than Dastardos!

Petula was lucky that the Dark Gods hadn't noticed her; if they had she would have died, likely in a more lugubrious way Fannie could even imagine! She had heard the stories, and yes, she had always believed in the folklore... She didn't WANT to get proved right on this - at all! - but she was convinced she would one day, it was just way too obvious sinister things were going on in those dark, eerie jungles.

''Deliveries from Europe!''

Fannie literally jumped of terror when that thunderous voice came out of nowhere. Was one of the Dark Gods coming for her, or Dastardos, now, had they learned to endure sunlight?

She Goobaaishly chuckled when she saw the owner of the voice was an ordinairy delivery worker.

''Hahaha, hi Juanez, sweetie. Don't you take any notice of me, I was just a little... creeped, ain't your fault, I'm...''

''Don't you worry, gorgeous, I ain't no danger.''

Juanez gave her a flirty wink and glanced at her chest immediately. Thát looked nice! That chica wore an ugly-ass mask, but thát and that short skirt did definately make up for it...

As much as Fannie liked that kind of attention, she wasn't in the mood for 'attention' right now, especially not now that she had a crush on that enchantingly handsome Sparcticus, 'attention' from Juanez would feel like adultery!

''Not now...'' she whispered playfully. ''But I'll see you around, so eh...''

''I understand. I have more packages to deliver, you must be too... Well, have fun checking these, and em... I'd love to see you around sóón...''

''You will.''

''Okay then.''

Phew, she got away with that quite well!

When Juanez had walked out, Fannie unpacked the huge boxes to see who were the deliveries for. Was part of her job.  
>Okay, it wasn't, but she enjoyed doing it so much! Kept her work interesting, and it kept her up-to-date with the social developments on the Island...<p>

Hmm, one huge crate with deliveries for Paper Pets. Paper Pets didn't make their accesoiries theirselves, they imported them from the United Kingdom.

There were several smaller crates with goods villagers had ordered, such as make-up, technology related items and kitchen equipment. Piñata Island was too small for industry - if you forgot about the fact that it was actually a huge piñata factory by itself!

Fannie wasn't interested in people's overseas orders. She was interested in their letters! Love letters in general, but personal mail worked for her in general.

Now most of these letters were family-related. Loads of Islanders had family in the world outside. There were countless Islanders who had moved to America to attend university and wanted to contact the people they left back home, and their was also a - much smaller - group of foreigners living here, and those people needed to stay in touch with their loved ones they left behind too.

Fannie skimmed quickly through the names. Patchingo, Daisia, Gretchen, Ivor, Kelly, Ameena...

Ameena! The new girl she had to become friends with! Haha, epic!

A rush of adrenaline flushed through Fannie's veins as she held the letter closely. Who would've sent her this? Her mother, one of her friends, a cousin or... her boyfriend?

Fannie giggled. In about five seconds she was about to find out all about that new girl's love life!

1... 2... 3... 4... 5!

She ripped the evelope open, and the first thing she noticed was a very, very bad handwriting. Was that an 'i' or an 'l'? However, she quickly found out this wasn't a love letter, but a silly little letter by her little brother...

_Hey sis. :D  
>How are you doing on Pinata Island? Me and mom miss you. Mom says you need to reply quickly otherwise shell turn nuts (as if she isnt already!) ;P<br>Ive Googled Pinata Island today. Wikipedia says its a very sunny place with rainforest dessert and mountains everything you can ever imagine. I wish I was there! Youre so lucky I have to go to school everyday and you take care of pinatas on a sunny island! Its kinda weird though... Pinatas alive? You sure youre not really in Spain or something and you and mom is playing a prank on me? Pinatas alive... Impossible! D:  
>Anyway wherever you are I hope youre having a great time and reply quickly. Mom said hi. And that she misses you. I do too. xD<br>Love 3  
>Atsou and mom.<em>

Now that was lame.

She quickly re-sealed the envelope again. There were more interesting letters waiting for her, begging to be read, why would she waste her time on this one?

''H-h-hello?''

Argh, seemed like those other lovely letters had to wait...

''A customer?'' Fannie grinned as friendly as possible. ''What can I do for you, wanna send anything or check your receivings..?''

''Both.''

That was strange. Fannie hadn't heard that voice before!

She looked at the girl that had just walked in, she couldn't see her mask because it was hidden behind an overly full basket. Still, she had an idea who this mysterious customer was...

''You must be Ameena, the new gardener! Petula told me about you. She likes you very much, and we share the same taste in most things!'' Fannie giggled. ''Put that basket down, it seems heavy. Here, here's a table.''

Ameena was releaved to put the pannier down, and so were her arm muscles! After that long walk to the Village - which was mainly uphill! - they were all sore and stretched.

''Great work-out, isn't it? Moving crates.'' Fannie giggled once again. ''That's how I keep in shape, at least! Can I offer you a glass of water? You must be thirsty!''

Ameena nodded. ''Yes please. That's very nice of you.''

''Well, here you go!''

There were always a bottle of mineral water and several paper cups on Fannie's desk. Customers were often dehydrated and exhausted when they arrived, everyone on Piñata Island sended BIG packages! Islanders just didn't do greediness, they were very genourous folks.

''You enjoy your stay on the Island so far?'' Fannie asked when Ameena was finished drinking.

''Yes, I do! It's a beautiful, and very, very, very special place, and er... I like the people here! But I miss my family a lot, I haven't heard of them for more than a week...''

''Don't you worry about that!'' Fannie jumped up in excitement, reaching for the envelope. ''A letter from your brother Atsou had just arrived...''

''That's great! I have something to send him myself...''

''Splendid! I'll arrange you a crate and your package will be shipped tonight!''


	12. Dastardos' Warning

**Dastardos' Warning**

''Come on, Sergei! I've showed you countless times how it's done!''

The yellow Shellybean glanced reluctantly at the hoop Seedos was holding. Now way he was going to jump through that!

''Sergei! Please! I'll give you a piece of your favorite candy!'' Seedos tried to encourage while taking Sergei's favorite sweet out.

Seedos made candy for his Shellybeans himself. Shellybeans had a strange taste in food, they liked poison ivys and tares, no way they would sell that in the local candy store!

Now most piñatas would get very ill eating 'Seedos' Shellybean Specialities'. It containded anything poisonous, from thistles to Venus piñata traps to radioactive waste. Oh, and corn, the little corn grains were like little seeds, and Shellybeans obviously loved seeds. That was why Seedos loved Shellybeans. They shared a hobby.

Naturally Seedos had already discovered that Shellybeans would turn yellow if you fed them a full cob. That's what he did to Sergei, and he liked the result. He even tried it out on a few of his other favorites.

''Argh, come on, Sergei!'' he growled full of exasperation. ''We've been doing this the entire afternoon... Worthless Shellybean.''

''Seedos! I've never expected you to scold at your beloved Shellybeans like that!''

A shiver went down Seedos' spine. He knew that voice... And it was colder than the ice in the veins of its possessor.

''Stardos?'' Seedos walked towards the door.

Well, door, the hole in the dead swamp tree he lived in.

''It's Dastardos, you fool.''

The piñata reaper floated towards the pitiable Seedos who was standing in the middle of his 'living room', and came so close enough for the confused boy to count the miniscule cracks in his mask and feel the man's breath striking through his hair.

Dastardos' breath had always frightened Seedos. It didn't smell bad, no, it didn't smell like anything at all, that was the frightening thing! The only trace of scent he could detect was the aroma of burial ground and snaps of old confetti...

This was not his brother!

''What? What are you looking at?''

Dastardos pushed Seedos back. He looked bewildered, but this was just came to Dastardos.

''My little brother should be tougher'' he whispered minacious. ''Leafos didn't learn you much, hm? You spend your days searching for seeds, baking piñata candies and attempting to learn obtuse little Shellybeans tricks... PLEASE!''

Seedos cringed. He hated Dastardos shouting, it sounded like thunder mixed with the roars of the Quemadas Volcano.

''Are you afraid of ME? You're own brother? I AM NOT PROUD OF YOU!'' Dastardos slapped Seedos in the face and laughed in the most loud and malificent way.

''Dastardos! Now I have to repair my mask again!'' Seedos cried. The punch hadn't done much damage to his actual face, but it had split his mask in two. That happened regularly, but it was annoying to collect all the ingredients for the perfect paper mache and it required a pracitsed artisan to re-create the mask in its exact former shape.

''Yes, your mask looks very much different from when we were both kids'' Dastardos jeered. ''I'm not the only one who beats you up, am I? STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!''

''WHAT...'' Seedos was shocked by the loudness of his own voice, which suddenly sounded like Dastardos' '' what are you doing here?''

''COME ON! You instantly fall back in your cowardly Barkbark-behaviour, you despicious little creature! Seedos... be a Mallowolf, you have it in your _genes_!'' Dastardos emphasized the last word. ''I am your brother. You are me. A failed, mistaken version of me. And I am you. An evil, raw version of yóu...''

''No! No, we are not the same... You are my brother and I love you...'' Seedos tried his best to keep in the teardrops that wanted to roll down. ''... but I...''

''We share so many similarities! You just REFUSE to see that, don't you, brother? We are both OUTCASTS! We both have a PIÑATA PET we TAKE CARE OF to keep out SANITY, and we both struggle to SUCCEED! Well, you have a whole bunch of piñata pets, but let's not ruin our list of striking resemblances...''

''What do you want?''

''I came to CHECK ON YOU, my little brother, and I DON'T LIKE WHAT I SEE!''

Now Seedos really burst out crying. The tears fell more fluidly and eventhough he didn't want to, he started to gasp and hyperventilate loudly.

''YOU. IS. A. FUCKING. MESS! Want me to punch you again?''

''No!'' Seedos screamed as he burried his face in his arms. ''Why are you suddenly... So concerned about me? You've never checked for me before, not even in those times...'' he sobbed ''t-those times... when I was depressive... isolated from the world... only these Shellybeans...''

''Because I was going through THE EXACT SAME THING!'' Dastardos clamored. ''I'M NOT TOO PROUD TO TELL YOU...''

''Please... please, leave me alone... You're upsetting my Shellybeans'' Seedos said in an unsteady voice.

That was true, all Shellybeans had fled into the swamp or had rolled up in their shell, which gave them the illusion of safety. Of course Dastardos could crack it any time he wanted to... Still, Seedos wished he could have a shell himself, it would keep the horrible sound of Dastardos screaming outside at least a little bit!

''LEAVE YOU ALONE? You wanted to know why I'm here, didn't you?'' Dastardos hissed. ''Look...'' He tried to calm himself down. Thinking of his pet Macaraccoon Magnar usually worked, for a while at least. ''I just want to warn you. Something big is coming up...'' Dastardos looked at Seedos' unmasked face, and he just couldn't stand those anxious beady eyes! He clenched his hands into fists, gnashed his teeth and continued talking, anger slipping through his voice unwillingly. ''... Something big is coming up... And you are falling back in your old ways more and more. You're crawling back in your imaginary shell again... DON'T! Get in control, please...  
>Or I'll make you.'' A shadow fell to his already lurid and frightening mask.<p>

''What are you talking about? People are mean to me, Dastardos...'' Seedos recognized the patheticness in his own voice, and one horrible moment he was disgusted with himself too. Then he continued: ''I'm scared, I dó admit that okay? But I'm progressing...''

Dastardos cocked his brow. ''Are you? Have you finally beaten up a gardener who was treating you disrespectful again, did you finally stand up for yourself, did I miss that?''

''No... Not exactly...'' Seedos murmured.

''THEN WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE GODS SAKE?''

''I've made a friend!''

''You did? I guess you have to take care another dusty-ass Shellybean then...''

''No! A human friend! Her name is Ameena!''

Dastardos' face clouded. ''Ameena, you say? The new girl?''

Seedos nodded proudly. ''Yes! She's really cool and I admire the plants she grows! She's the best gardener since daddy, I'm so glad she took over the garden! Really, her newest hazel tree...''

''Ameena is NO GOOD!'' Dastardos raged.

''What? Why not...?'' Seedos asked, as his beady eyes bulged. ''She's the sweetest person I've ever met...''

''SHE IS NO GOOD! LISTEN to me. I know what I'm talking about. I'm an undead guy, you remember?'' Dastardos grinned sombre. ''Just stay away from her.''

''But why?'' Seedos wondered incredulously.

''Do you really want to know? You might not like the answer...''

Seedos nodded. He didn't care what the fucking answer was. As long as he could get some insight in the reasons of his older brother, he would be more than pleased.  
>He really missed Stardos, the guy trapped in Dastardos... Stardos had always been a harsh person, but he also used to be very protective and caring towards Seedos.<p>

''That girl... No! I'm not going to tell you.''

''Then why should I stay away from her?''

Dastardos floated towards Seedos again, and brought his face as close as possible, about kissing distance. ''Because I tell you to!'' he hissed threatening. ''You copy that?''

''But why, Stardos? Why?''

Seedos started to cry again. New teardrops added to his cheeks, which were already soaked in tears. A lock of blue hair that had fallen down his forehead made the seed-boy look heartbreakingly piteous. Anyone with a heart would have cried with him at this point, the poor kid was on his breakdown...

''Crybaby'' Dastardos sniffed. Dastardos didn't have a heart. ''I can't see why the Gods even CREATED you... Stay away from the new bitch, unless you want to get yo ass in trouble. I might me dead, but I'm STILL your older brother, I know what's best for you...''

''Leafos is m-my older sister! She says it's good that I finally made a friend!''

''Leafos doesn't know SHIT about what I know! And what I know is horrible, kid. Dark news reaches dark creatures first... You'll just have to wait and see, but you won't like what'll pop up in your eyesight!'' Dastardos melodramatically looked at his watch, the way a real Grim Reaper would do. ''Seems like the time has come for another little paper creature! I can't hang around in this moldy Shellybean hut all day, you know... I've got... Business.''

''You call taking innocent piñata's lives business... Oh, Stardos, I can't believe how much you've changed, you used to LOVE piñatas!''

''And I still do, but now I love smashing them! Have good day baby bro, oh, and take this as a warning...''

Dastardos lifted up his notorious wacking stick, just above one of Seedos favorite Shellybeans.

Seedos gasped. ''No...''

Dastardos grinned. ''Yes...''

Then the stick came down with the intensity of a hundred lightning bulbs, and Seedos could've swore he felt a little twitch in his heart at the very same moment as he heart the crack in the Shellybean shell.

''No!'' His hands flew into his tangled hair. ''You...''

''Like I said, take this as a warning. Sergei's next.''

And with those words, Dastardos floated off into the swamp, on his way to kill another wheezy, pale piñata. Seedos just couldn't believe anybody could be so cold-hearted!

The kid sighed and tried to get himself together. Then he crawled to the remainings of his poor little Shellybean. He wouldn't get _her _together anymore... Great Gods, this was awful. This lady was one of his first! He had named her Shelly, and it hurted so much to remember all those good times with her... This was the Shellybean he had cuddled with all those nights he felt alone, lost, rejected by the world. This piñata had been his help and support.

''You'll live on in my heart, Shelly'' Seedos whispered. ''What you've done from me is unforgettable... Rest in peace!''

While Seedos was putting Shelly's remainings in a cardboard box that would function as a coffin, he heard his favorite squeak on the whole Island.

''Sergei! You're back! Oh Sergei...'' Seedos picked the Shellybean up from the ground and held him tight and closely. ''Be careful, Sergei... Dastardos says you're next...''

When he'd spoken those words, he started to shake uncontrollably. The idea of him losing another precious Shellybean was too much... Just too much.

''Please, Sergei. If you ever hear that scary man's voice again...flight away, as deep in the swamp as you can, and don't return before that son of a...m-my mother has left our little tree!''


	13. In The Meantime

**In The Meantime...**

''Hahaahhaahaah, NO... I, I can't believe you just said that... Hahahahahh...''

Fannie couldn't stop laughing at a joke Ameena told about a Cluckles crossing a road.

''Apparently you found that hilarious'' Ameena smirked. It had been a long time ago someone'd laughed on her jokes just as loud, so it sure gave her an awesome feeling. She hadn't seen Atsou quite a while, after all, and except for him she didn't know anybody with such a loud laugh and a silly humor.

''Hahahahahhah, yes, do you have more of those?''

Ameena shook her head. ''No... I think I'm running out... I've told you every single joke I know, sorry.''

''Don't you mind... It's been a while, you know. Hahaahah! My BFF isn't half as hilarious...''

That was not completely true. If you had a harsh, gleeful humour, an afternoon with Petula would be an afternoon of laughter for you. Guaranteed.  
>Unfortunately, Fannie's humor was rather silly, childish and lighthearted, Petula didn't do all that! Her sense of humor consisted of gossiping, and by gossiping she rather meant butchering people verbally.<p>

''Who's your BFF?'' Ameena asked out of curiousity. She wanted to meet more people. If this girl was a friend of Fannie's, she was most likely very nice!

''Oh, you know her. Her name is Petula, she works at Paper Pets, her parents own that store... She said you're really cool, you know, and I sure agree with her!''

Ameena indeed remembered Petula, the Kittyfloss-girl. She sort-of liked her, but she didn't know what to think of the those sarcastical remarks and scowls towards Leafos. Petula sure was a cool girl, but she considered Leafos as the best friend she had on this Island; she would stand up for Leafos and always choose her side, just like Leafos would stand up for her.

''Petula seems nice... Really. But she and Leafos don't get along well, do they?''

Fannie shook her head. ''Nope. Petula hates Leafos, and it's mutually...'' Then her slow mind stumbled across the fact not only _she _but also_ Petula_ needed to become friends with Ameena, which wouldn't work if she'd make the hostility between Petula and Miss Little Leafos all too clear.  
>''You know, Leafos' not as innocent as she seems...'' She really needed to handle this with caution. A few wrong words could ruin all her chances to win Ameena's reliance. Luckily there were some <em>facts <em>about Leafos, things that happened in the past, she didn't necessarily have to make up anything...

''What? I can't picture Leafos doing anything mean, sorry. She can be pedantic at times, and I must admit she's got a tiny bit of arrogance in her ways...But she's a nice person! If she ever offended Petula, I'm sure she didn't mean to...''

''I don't know, Ameena. We've been trying to hang out with Leafos before, you know? This is a small village. There aren't that many girls of our age...''

''What did she do then?''

''I don't know... she just always tries to argue with us, picks fights, says unkind things and stuff... We know she can be nice at times, we just don't know what to make of her!''

Ameena nodded. ''I see...''

''This really ain't an attack towards Leafos, or anything! We want you two to stay friends, like, we really don't want to agitate...''

''Nah, it's okay! Tell me more about the Island!'' Ameena was far more interested in the place itself than its inhabitants.

Fannie took a gulp from the coke can she were holding. ''Ahh, Chewdini's Cherry Coke! My favorite, the only actual Islander's coke brand we sell on the Island! Have you met Carrie Chewdini yet?''

''Yes, that's the lady who owns that candy store, isn't she?''

''Yes, she is! And she's far more than that... She's also the most famous-notorious conjurer on the Island! Really, I'm so thankful to have a lady like that living in our village... She's actually from the Central City, the biggest and only city on Piñata Island... Wáááaý more exciting than this backwater-y place... But the surprising thing is: we have so many talented people living here! I mean, you know Bart? He's a great Tinkerer! And there's also this extraordinairy woman Gretchen, a piñata hunter...''

''I've met Bart, and wow! I'm looking forward to meet that Gretchen person!''

''And you should! I would introduce you to her, but I assume she's a bit busy... So am I, actually...''

''I see...'' Ameena laughed playfully. ''That's why you're talking to me instead of working...''

''Hahahah, I am working silly! As Post Office girl I feel determined to show new Islanders around, me and Petula could show you some places in the Village on Sunday, when neither of us has to work... Argh, screw that dusty village, we could take you to Central City, if you like!''

''Central City sounds great! Leafos' already showed me the Village, you know... Pretty little houses, pretty little stores, but I'd finally like to know what Central City is about!''

''Fair enough! By the way, we definately should hang out more! Is there anything else I can do for you, or what you might want to know..?''

Ameena thought about this for a minute. There were too many frickin' things she wanted to know! Firstly, the question that had bugged her ever since she'd arrived, why on EARTH did these people wear mask if not just for decorative purposes? What was so intimate about seeing one's face?

Secondly, who was this mysterious piñata doctor? She didn't know why, but he fascinated her. Whenever she weren't busy with her piñatas, plants or talking to anyone, _he _popped up in her mind... There was something special about him, and eventhough he carried this burden of awkwardness with him, he sure seemed intelligent... And Gosh, his voice was SEXY - when not stuttering!

''Who's Patch?''

''Patch? Oh, that's just the guy in the monkey suit! He talks like a fool - he just can't manage to say a proper sentence without stuttering one single time - but he's the smartest bloke I've ever met. My intuition tells me he could be handsome too, if he'd only get rid of the monkey suit...''

''How old is he?'' Ameena asked with an inexplicable fit of inquistiveness. ''He sounds pretty young for a vet... that study swallows quite a few years, doesn't it?''

''Yes, it does. But Patch was very young when he started studying, about Seedos' age - you know Seedos? I believe Doc Patchingo is 22 now...''

''That's pretty young! Only five years older than me! I'm 17... Oh, wow...''

Fannie giggled. ''Someone's excited...''

Ameena's dark skin colored a deep tone of rosy red. ''It's not like, I have a crush on him... He's just been on my mind the last few days... He's an charismatic person, in a way... er...''

''Are you sure you don't just like him?'' Fannie asked teasingly. Ameena quickly shook her head.

''No! I'm too young for a boyfriend, I mean, okay, I'm almost an adult, but I'm pretty much away from the whole relationship-thing...''

''Hahaahah, I can keep a secret!'' Fannie winked at her. ''Nobody'll find out about your tiny little crush... Not even Petula! I mean... We're friends right?'' Fannie reached out her hand and Ameena shook it.

''Yes'' she agreed. ''We're friends! We'll be good friends in the future, I'm sure!''

''That's the spirit!'' Fannie tittered. ''I want to introduce you to a few people you might haven't met yet... Come on, I'll take you to the most awesome place ever: Arfur's Inn!''

''Can I introduce y'all to... Miss Ameena?''

Everyone in the pub looked up from their drinks and the people they were talking to.

''You must be the girl who's in charge of Jardineiro's old garden!'' a man with a huge barrel for a mask said. ''I am Arfur, the proud owner of this inn!''

Ameena shook the big, coarse hand of the bartender. Eventhough the man spoke on the most friendly tone, this guy freaked her out for real! He was so... big... that nose... was... argh, this 'thing' didn't even look human!

_Stay friendly to this nice man, stay friendly _Ameena said to herself. _Stay. Friendly._

''My name's Ameena. Nice to meet you sir!''

_Good girl!_

''Oh, oh thank you! I feel so honored an extraordonairy young woman like you takes the time to visit my jejune, shabby pub! You're enchantingly beautiful, and from what I've heard you're an excellent gardener too...''

''Oh Arfur, you're such a gentleman!'' Bart said sarcastically. ''He's trying to make a regular customer out of you... Which he doesn't necessarily needs to do with silly little compliments - I'm sure you get loads of them and are pretty sick of them by now! -, his drinks and cookies are more divine than anything I've ever tasted or tinkered in my whole life...''

''Hi Bart!'' Ameena greeted him. ''Thanks for making me those blueberry muffins and that coffee... I've send them to my family overseas, and I'm sure they'll enjoy!''

''It's not called 'making', it's called 'tinkering''', Bart grumbled. ''But I'll forgive you for this time, new one. I forgive you.''

''Hi, my name's Sahari!'' a voice sounded enthiusiastically. Ameena looked around, and she saw that a small, thin girl of her own age was voice's owner. Her hair was short and tousled and looked kinda dry, but it had the most beautiful auburn color.

''Nice to meet you, Sahari!'' Ameena smiled. ''I love your name. It's very pretty.''

''Ahh, thank you! My mother named me that because I was born in the dessert, you know. We live in that village in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but sand, so when my mother once walked to _this _village to get some goods they didn't provide in our local grocery store back then, well... She was only eight months pregnant, but eh, yeah, I guess I was eager to see this beautiful world, so - ''

''Please, Sahari!'' Arfur laughed. ''Safe us the details! Ameena, do you wan't to drink anything? I can give you a free coke, if you want...''

''Thank you!''

''Lemon- or cherry flavored?''

''Er... ''

''Take lemon! It's good! I always drink it when it gets real hot in the dessert, it's _so_ refreshing...'' Sahari exclaimed enthusiasticcally. She liked giving advice.

''Of course! Sahari knows best, shoulda known...''

''Oh, you're here with Miss Mailbox hmm?'' Sahari asked while raising one eyebrow.

''She's my friend.'' Ameena shrugged. Something in Sahari's face changed. Her nose wrinkled and her eyes narrowed.

''Sup, dessert rat? You don't like me and Ameena hanging out together?''

Ameena was slightly shocked by the sudden change of tone in Fannie's voice. What had happened to the friendly Post Office employee?

Well, the friendly Post Office employee just didn't like being in the same room as the tiny, overly tanned and - in her opnion - ugly girl that _her _object of affection probably liked... Damn, if she weren't so friendly and good-hearted, she would certainly throw this Sahari-person of a cliff!

''Hey, I ain't gon' say anything to you about this, Ameena'' Sahari said ''but you should be careful who you hang out with, okay? You decide yourself, but please think twice before... yeah. I heard you and Leafos are getting along fine, she'd be a great friend for you...''

Just when Ameena started to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation, Arfur joined the conversation.

''I've got you a coke... Neither cherry or lemon flavor, something I've invented myself... Grape!''

''Ain't that plagiarism?'' Bart asked. ''Towards Carrie?''

''No, I don't think so at all, Carrie has her own brand, but what I sell in my inn ain't her business, she's got a store of her own, so...''

While the two elder men began on a discussion about drinks and selling rights, Fannie grabbed Ameena's hand and led her away from Sahari.

''Don't you pay any attention to her! She's a sweet girl, but I guess she's being drunk by know... You saw that drink she was sipping at? That sure was no coke! Haha, follow me, I want to introduce you to some smoking _hot _boys!''


	14. Flesh

**Flesh**

''Hey Magnar.''

The vampire-Macaracoon made a cute sniffing sound. He was truly happy to see his owner getting home again. Great Gods, how much Dastardos loved this piñata!

''Come here, Magnar.'' Magnar lifted the cute, papery-fur thing up, cuddled and stroked it, and floated a little higher because he knew it'd make Magnar feel comforted.

''You should've been a Sherbat'' he whispered tenderly. ''I mean, the Sherbat is the first piñata associated with vampires... And if you were a Sherbat, you'd be able to fly! I know you'd enjoy that...''

Magnar made an agreeing noise and pushed his warm, plump body against Dastardos' cold, bony chest.

Dastardos sighed. Then he planted a kiss between Magnar's ears and put him back on the ground. ''If you only knew what I've been going through today...'' he groaned.

Magnar let out an asking wheeze.

''I've got you some life sweets!'' Dastardos said as enthiusiastically as he could, hoping to distract his loyal pet piñata from the actual subject. He didn't want Magnar to be bothered with_ his _personal struggles...

Magnar slanted his fluffy head.

''Yes, that's right, life sweets! I know how much you love and er... need them. I've got you one of your favorites, a Mousmallow's, but also a Syrupent's, a Sparrowmint's, and even a Pieena's! Fancy dinner uh?'' Dastardos threw all of the sweets out of the bright red bag he was holding. ''Oh, and a Shellybean's... Here.''

When he saw Magnar devouring the little piece of candy that had been the core of one of Seedos' favorite Shellybeans, Dastardos felt more than a little guilty. Why, why had the Gods made him play this role?

He didn't want to be a fearsome piñata reaper anymore. It had been painful, it had been fun... It'd been bittersweet, to describe it best. But it never had been this hard before, now that he had to take care of his little brother during those dark, twisted times...

''This role's too big for me'' he spoke as he floated through the back door, an enormous crack in the back of the dead tree he lived in. He needed to catch some fresh air... Besides, those warm tropical nights were awesome.

He loved the view of the desert in the early evening, he loved the way the moon and stars glowed... Something opressive was in the air tonight though, something he couldn't put his skeletony finger on... Probably just bad weather. Nothing to worry about. This was _his _desert...

He even remembered playing in this desert with his siblings, when they were younger. Damn, his childhood hadn't been all that bad, not before Pester... No, he shouldn't think about those times right now, it would cut his soul, and his soul was bleeding already... The next stab could be fatal.

''I've never wanted to play a main part in all this...'' he whispered as a group of wild S'morepions crawled by. ''And something tells me that my biggest ordeal is yet to come...''

There had been those nights - well, not particularly nights, these rare moments that he took the time to rest. Sure, someone in his 'condition' didn't need food, neither did he need sleep for physical purposes, but even a dead guy's mind needed to process his emotions...

Well, those usually very welcome naps had become terrible lately, even frightening to a certain point. He tended to skip them, but he couldn't do that all too often; it'd only make his already bad temper worse!

Not like those nightmares put him in a very good mood... No, he'd actually gotten tired of getting persecuded by a strange, armoured lizard man by now! The haunting thing about it was not the lizard man itself... the words it whispered were, _''flesh, flesh, flesh'' _and _''preciousss skeletonn''_... Not to mention its voice... Its troat... it was so raspy... It almost sounded like its vocal cords were burned, nothing left of but ashes!

Dastardos felt how his stomach began to turn when even thinking about it. If he'd had anything in his lifeless stomach... that would certainly begin to try to find its way out by now!

Dastardos retched - his retching sounded like a small piñata getting flenched alive! - but tried to control himself as soon as he noticed he had company... Magnar was standing behind him. He'd had very sensitive ears since the dying process, he could hear the hearts of the smallest piñatas beat from metres of distance... Yes, he were a _way _better hunter than that overrated bitch of a Gretchen Fetchem!

''I'm cursed Magnar'' he groaned. ''So don't you mind...''

Inky black clouds shifted right before the moon. A sudden flash illuminated the now obscurely dark nightsky, and thunder that could compare to Dastardos' despaired voice rumbled afar.

When the poweful echoe of the thunderclap had finally faded away, it started to rain. Heavy rain was not uncommon on Piñata Island, with its wide variety of climate zones.

These were no regular raindrops, though. They were bigger. Darker. Colder. Ungodly, yet Dastardos was convinced they were the product from a supernatural force that the Dark Gods had raised...

''Trouble ahead, Magnar'' the piñata reaper creaked. His premonitions had been right... "Trouble? Shan't I better say catastrophes? I can't stop this... I can try to get my family through, but even Seedos won't listen to me! That brat's scared of me... and I know he feels the essence of my message, the urgency of the problem... But he won't stay away from Ameena, all because SOCIETY imposes him that he needs to have friends!"

The word society he spat out as if that word had triggered the whole acapocalypse that was about to come. Dastardos hated society. Even before his death, he had never received the recognition he had deserved. He'd had an outstanding talent for gardening. He would own that Ameena anytime, he was the son of Jardineiro, THE Legendary Gardener!

However, everyone had ignored him, and even despised his more... disturbing interests, such as playing around with Choclodocus bones and performing scientific experiments on them, in order to bring them back to life... He had almost succeed, that summer before Pester had been fired, he had almost succeeded bringing a pile of bones to life at the age of _fourteen_!

"I was genius, Magnar" Dastardos whispered throaty. "But nobody could see..." He fiddled with his fingers on his wacking stick, which he carried everywhere as if it was an ordinairy cane. "I can see the same problem in my brother Seeods... I _detest_ his poltroonery, Magnar, but I _do _recognize true brilliance when I see it... And baby bro might be _just _as superior to the human race as I am, he just doesn't have the confidence he needs to... _release _his talents, and stand up for himself. There is something whimsical, something overwhelming... Inside him and I both... Seedos and I should´ve been TWINS!"

Dastardos grimaced. Sometimes he felt like he was closer to insanity than ever before...

''I guess that's what happens if you spend your late teenage- and adolecent years in a dead tree, isolated from the world murdering innocent little beings... I. Should. Have. Known. What I started when I did that deal with Pester, I should've known I that I was selling my soul to the devil!  
>But'' he said, as he was attempting to calm himself down ''I am a half-God now. I finally have the power I lacked in my mortal body... I have the power to TAKE...''<p>

_And you have those dreams that haunt you, shock you, disgust you and suck the very last human traits that you have left out of you... You preach, and make those frightening prophecies that push the loved ones you've left even more away from you, is all that really worth this... power? _

_Is this even power at all, Dastardos, aren't you just a puppet of the Dark Gods? _

That was not Dastardos' own inner voice, no. He had no idea what it was, but it certianly wasn't natural. It had been bothering him since full moon two weeks ago, eight days before this _Ameena_ arrived... It hadn't ever spoken that many words yet, though... Was it getting stronger? Did it have to do anything with Ameena developing her talents? Was she some dark shaman, some voodoo priestress... A Dark God in DISGUISE..?

''I know my siblings love you, BITCH!'' Dastardos scolded. ''They don't know what you triggered... they don't. They don't know WHAT you are... I don't know either, but it sure gets on my nerves, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT? CAN'T YOU HEAR MY VOICE RAISING ABOVE THE THUNDER AS YOU SIT THERE IN YOUR DOOMED GARDEN?''

Magnar stroked against the lower legs of his owner, who had started to tremble uncontrollably. Dastardos tried to calm himself down, but that was nearly impossible.

''Magnar...'' he choked, his eyeballs rolling back. ''I don't want to BE this... ahgh...'' Dastardos let out a desperate scream and clutched at his chest. ''LEAVE ME ALONE!''

The vampire-Macaracoon knew all too well this rage wasn't aimed at him. Dastardos would never wanted to be left all by himself, no, and he would never want Magnar to leave him... Not at all, he wanted to get rid of these strange forces that visited him in his nightmares, and even now that he was awake...

''I'm an open DOOR to these Gods...'' Dastardos whispered. ''Somebody close me...''

It were always moments like these that Magnar wished he were blessed with the gift of being able to speak. Snuggling up to his owner wasn't going to be enough - he didn't even feel it anymore. Since the arrival of these dark forces his lifeless body had become more numb than ever before!

''Oh no... NO! No, no, go away...'' Panic overwhelmed the floating figure. These Dark Gods had tried before... But a powerful piñata reaper was naturally strong enough to resist...

''D-d-d-don't!''

_You sssound worse than Doc Patchingo. Your ssstuttering, I mean _the force hissed keenly.

Despair rushed through Dastardos' bloodless veins. One of the Dark Gods had finally broken through his barricade... It'd finally infiltrated his thoughts...

''Game over, Daz'' he mumbled to himself.

_Indeed Daz, game over, but you ain't been in since the end of your mortal life... The game you've been playing over the last few years, was nothing but foolish amusement for YOU, you spreading suffering over the entire Island, just to create what YOU consider as entertainment... Come on! The Universe needs no piñata reaper! Certainly not a piñata reaper like YOU... Cueraça used to have your job -_

''If some Dark God wants it job back, then why am I still here? Make off with me. I don't care how much it hurts. Just knit an end to this...''

_I can't, Daz. I might need your 'body'... Listen, I ain't no Dark God or anything, I'm nothing but an ordinairy DEMON. I'm not strong enough to creep up into anyone alive, and I can't bring the life in corpses back either... Imma need something in between, hahah! I'm a need you to do EXTRAORDINAIRY things..._

''I do not approve.''

_Now, I don't need your approval..._

''This... is... my... body'' Dastardos panted, now having trouble to resist the evil force. It was trying to make its way deeper into his brains, trying to get to that spot where it could control Dastardos' most primary thoughts, take over his whole soul instead of sharing it with its host...

_Dontchu fight,chu precious skeleton. Please, please, dontchu damage them lovely bones..._ the demon - or whatever it was! - chanted.

That's when something clicked in Dastardos' mind. This demon-thing was actually dependent on the state of his body; he was the only half-dead person on the entire Island!

Dastardos grinned. His life sucked. If selfdestruction could make an end to it and in the meantime prevent a demon from doing something horribly harmful, so be it. It was the only method...

''I hope YOU are prepared to find another floating zombie-man!'' Dastardos said victoriously as his grin widened. Then he feverishly flew to one of the roots of the dead tree, to get get the mace he'd been hiding there, just in case any possible threat would visit him at one of those spare moments he slept.

_You WON'T! _

''Oh, but this won't hurt... I can barely feel anything, I'm dead already you know. I suppose you can't work with me with a split skull, can you..? HAHAHAHAAH, FUCK YOU, dem -''

Dastardos was about to crush the mace into his forehead, when Magnar squeaked loudly. Dastardos' artificially working heart skipped a beat. He could not kill himself in a violent way in front of his favorite piñata, the only little creature he cared about, and indeed the only little creature that cared about him... Besides, who would provide Magnar life sweets if he were gone? Magnar was too small to hunt for them himself, that little guy wouldn't even manage to prey down a piñata half its size...

''Mag..nar...''

He couldn't leave his beloved Macaraccoon alone.

Of course the vicious demon took advantage of Dastardos' doubting... As the piñata reaper were floating in mid-air - indecisive, with a dangerous thorn mace clutched in his left hand, the demon sneaked in deeper... and deeper... took possession of the vocal cords, the lungs, the arms, the legs and invitably...

_Gotcha._

The floating, red mask-wearing skeleton let out thunderous laughter, comparable to that of the Dark Gods.

A misbegotten demon in a piñata reaper's body came pretty damn close after all...


	15. Brave Little Monkey

**Brave Little Monkey**

KABOOOM!

Patch looked up from his cup of black coffee. It was the seventh he'd drunk that night - it took a whole lot of caffeine to stay keep your eyes open when you had to stand by 24/7!

The vet stood up from his desk, and walked over to the window. Big, fat raindrops were taboring against the rather thin glass. He could hardly see through the curtains of water, and the Village's poor street lighting didn't do well to his sight either, but by the badness of the weather he could tell the circumstances outside were rubbish. Most roads on the Island were unpaved, so the whole infrastructure was most likely down for several days, until the mud had dried again...

''T-this ain't good...'' Patch murmured. ''What i-f-if a pi-pi-piñata gets ill? How on Ea-earth am I going to g-get to that p-poor c-creature in time? I'm sure I can't e-ever make my car flounder through this mu-mu-mud...''

Patch walked back to his desk, while heaving a tired sough, and took another sip from his coffee. A flash of lightening illuminated the waiting room of his little clinic... A thunderstorm!

Would his Alert System even work, with all that troublesome extra electricity in the air? Betcha it didn't...

Patch tried to start up his cell... and didn't see anything on the screen but 'No Signal'.

''This is worse than I thou-thought... Great Gods... Dastardos' sure gonna have a good night tonight! I hope he likes his candy roa-roasted, though... That paper shell of co-confetti won't protect th-those life sweets f-from this ru-ru-ruthless thunder...''

A cold shiver went down Patch's spine.

''I might have to t-turn the heating higher... G-g-g-great G-gods, why-why am I t-talking t-to mys-self? This is s-silly.'' He crossed the room towards the slightly primative heater. Eventhough it had boiling water inside, the thing never managed to give away much heat. ''This boiler su-sure i-isn't worth its risk of it ex-ex-exploding... If I o-only had a higher i-income...''

Money was definately one of Patch's main concerns. It came right after Dastardos and right before Ameena. And the whole situation was worsening... With Lottie and stuff, Dastardos always reaching his patients faster than he, which caused angry gardeners that refused to pay him... He needed to win some lottery, soon!

''Holy sh-Shellybeans... I can't seem to turn t-this d-damn thing up! Argh! I-I-I might j-just put an extra b-blanket on m-my bed tonight...''

Yeah, why would he stay up if his clients couldn't reach him anyway? If his Alert System wouldn't work, no way people would manage to reach the Village over all those sludgy trackways... No, he would just make the best of the situation and catch up on all those recent sleepless nights!

Patch decided to make himself a cup of chamomile tea before actually slipping into bed... During weekdays he certainly preferred coffee - something had to keep him awake and alert! - but on his days off... He needed his rest. And to rest, you need to calm down first. Tea calmed him down. Like crazy. He'd never tried drugs - and he wouldn't ever, brain cells! - but he was pretty convinced no narcotic would ever beat the good old aroma of spices in warm water...

He took a rusty teapot off the shelve. Such a shame he hadn't used this lovely thing in a few weeks...

''Y-yes. T-this' what I n-need... T-tea... a-and rest... F-finally...''

If anyone on Piñata Island had a reason to feel wrecked up, it would be Doc Patchingo.

And Dastardos, of course.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''No, no, no, n-n-n-NO!''

Suddenly Patch flew upright, still half asleep, the back of his pyjamas soaked in sweat and his heart beating wildly. He just sat there for several minutes - gasping and groaning -, and he didn't fully wake up until his left eye started to twitch.

''That... was horrible!'' he mumbled.

The alarming thing was, that he didn't seem to remember what _that_ was. Could've been anything sickening, anything that varied from him not being able to safe patient to Dark Gods plucking his bones out while still alive!

Patch slipped out of bed. He had to take a shower... All the sweat running down his back definately wasn't hygenic, and as a vet/doctor keeping his hygiene was more than a little important.

While walking to the bathroom, he noticed the rain was still tapping against his window intensively. Usually those rainstorms didn't last any longer than an hour or so... How long had he been sleeping? At least an hour or three, right?

''This is madness...'' Patch stopped a second to stare outside the window. Again, he couldn't see anything, the nightsky had only turned darker and the rain had started to fall even more heavily.

This kind of wheater wasn't normal. Not even to the Piñata Island standards, which were pretty abnormal themselves. Something BIG was coming up, and that something certainly wasn't anything good!

''G-great Gods...'' Patch made the sign of the cross. He knew that came from the Christian religion, but for some strange reason it had always made him feel rather protected...

Oh well, it certainly didn't raise the wrath of the Gods, so why not? It looked like their wrath had been risen already anyway...

Patch's heart skipped a beat. Of course! That was the reason of this terribly heave weather... This was worse than his disastrous doomsday scenario, this was Judgement Day! Another term from Christianity... Maybe he had to kiss the Islander's religion goodbye? He wasn't even a native Islander, after all...  
>And all the crazy voodoo stuff certainly got on his nerves!<p>

There was a big chance he'd move to the mainland, some day in the future,to escape both his financial and safety sorrows... But not yet, he couldn't, the people in this village needed him, he was one of the most highly educated people on the whole Island! And for no money or security in this world he would leave Ameena behind, no way, eventhough they'd most probably wouldn't ever end up together... He was fine with that. Watching her from a distance made him all warm and fussy inside, and the simplest conversation with her would make his day...

How was she doing now, in the pouring rain and stuff? That bastard of a Willy still hadn't built her a decent house; told her he was to busy with them silly little huts for them silly little piñatas... Argh! Ameena getting ripped off like that made him really angry, which said a lot... Before she'd come to the Island, only Dastardos was capable of arousing his anger, and Dastardos basically was the master of that!

But back to the sweet miss Ameena... He _had_ to check for her. Now. No matter how bad the conditions outside were.

Leafos had probably letting her stay at her place, but you never knew for sure with that girl. She was a very solid sleeper, just like her father; not even thunder like tonight's would wake those two up! What if they'd gone to bed earlier this evening? Around ten it'd still been calm and nice... And who knew where Storkos was? She might've stranded somewhere in a palm tree...

No, if he wouldn't go and see Ameena, nobody would perhaps, and she would fall ill if she'd stay in that henhouse all night, and as much he'd like her to be his patient, to take care of her and spend some time... He would never want to see her suffer, the smallest sad facial expression made him cringe!

He had to make sure she was alright. If she were with Leafos and Jardineiro already, fine. He was okay with muddling through all this mud just for getting that to know for sure. It would sooth him to know that his dearest was safe and warm...

And by the time he'd crawled his way back home, he'd be exhausted enough to fall asleep instantly, for quite a few hours, if not days!

Fifteen minutes later, Patch was attempting to handle his unhandily idling car, wearing a bright yellow raincoat and -hat. It looked ridiculous - something like a clown in a fireman costume! - but it such clothing sure wasn't otios, the rain was pouring down on him like crazy!

Eventhough he felt like vomitting or curling up in a dry, warm corner, Patch hadn't ever felt as brave and heroic before.

He did this for a lady. He was a true knight. A prince charming.

Now making his way to the dirt and mud wasn't exactly easy peasy lemon squeezy. In fact, riding a unicycle would've been less difficult! But he'd get there, he'd get there. He had made it to the countryside already - but of course the paved roads of the Village were less tough to drive on, so from now on he would slow down considerably.

The rain was messing up Patch's eyesight and making everything slippery. Damn, in times like these he wished his car had a roof, and a nice big window with wipers! Luckily he knew these lanes inside out; he'd crossed them countless times, so he didn't have to worry much about not seeing anything.

Apart from those clouds there indeed was something else in the air tonight, Patch's intuition hadn't lied to him when he had stood there in front of the window!

Eventhough he didn't want to think like this, he felt like evil forces were surrounding him. Over his entire lifespan he'd been stressed out about countless insignificant and unlikely things; but feeling uncomfortable for an undefined reason was... Weird. Just weird. Weird and disturbing.

Great Gods, he didn't want to be here! He just wanted to crawl back into his warm bed with a smoking hot cup of tea... He could go back... But he wouldn't. Ever.

''I-It's worth it. Ameena's worth it...'' he whispered, mainly to boost his self-confidence and attitude. ''I-I'll get there. I-I'll get there soon. A-a-ameena, I-I'm on my way love!''


	16. Gotcha

**Gotcha  
><strong> 

Somewhere near the borders of Ameena's garden, loud laughter cleaved through the dense, nearly oppresive silence. The laugh came right out of Dastardos' troat, but it certainly wasn't his... His laughs were cynical, mean and slightly unnatural; but they definately didn't sound as unearthy and evil as this one!

The demon Tsi was delighted to finally have a body. He didn't mind the lifelessness of it, he didn't bother with the brittle bones and the bloodness veins. No, not at all! Eventhough this body wasn't the best conditioned one on the whole Island, he was in love with its power to float and the bony, but firm fingers that had taken so many innocent piñata lives...

_Thhhank thhhou, Dassstardosss._

Tsi hovered ahead, while making the rain pour more and more heavily as his excitement grew. He had a body... his powers had increased remarkably... and he was on his way to make off with that void little being the Villagers called 'Ameena', or 'The New Legendary Gardener'...

Nowadays people were such fools! They were filthy and despicable and just not worthy to serve the Unconquerable Gods! There had never _been_ a legendaric gardener; Ameena wasn't, and Jardineiro certainly hadn't been one either! Attracting Elephanillas, Dragonaches and Roarios was nothing but game, a silly way to pass the boring, sweaty days on Piñata Island...

There was nothing Legendary about doing that.

Only The Gods were deserving to call themselves 'Legendary'. They'd given shape to this whole island. Before them, this place had been nothing but a pile of volcanic rocks, with a few tough, dry grass blades peeking out here and there.

It were The Gods that'd created the plants, the trees and the piñatas. It were The Gods that'd created the humans... They were obliged to be thankful, yet they acted ungratefully and neglected their tasks of honor and sacrifice...

If Tsi were a God, he'd erase them all, those humans were nothing but an unfortunate mistake. He would erase them and create new ones, people that were faithful, loyal and reliable.

Regrettably, he wouldn't ever be able to do something grandiose like that. He didn't have the powers of creating, and no way he - as a demon - would ever receive them, certainly not in such a high potency he could create such complex, living creatures as humans, complete with all the organes, muscles, sinews and working brains.

If he wouldn't give them a will of their own, though. A brain was necessary for them to survive or even move, but reflectivity was no good for them... The ideals of humans brought nothing but dissappointment. That was one thing he'd learned from the failed experiment of his predecessors...

Ah, the boundaries of Ameena's garden, finally! Tsi clutched 'his' fingers tighter around Dastardos' whacking stick. If it worked for huge piñatas like Rhinoceros, it would work for that little thing 'Ameena' too.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''A-ameena?''

''Huh?''

Ameena opened her eyes as she heard a familiar voice. Strangely, there was also this... waterfall-like sound. What was happening outside? Another rainstorm?

As Ameena got up, and felt the wet, slippery mud between her fingers, she genuinely concluded it was raining. Bad. And not just outside, there were enough cracks in the roofs and walls of the henhouse to bring the rain in, not to mention the benumbing cold wind.

She _had _to get out and ask Leafos if she could stay at her place, but first she needed to find out who was standing there, outside her hut. Probably a neigbouring gardener who could do with a little help...

''Come in!'' she shouted from inside, while attempting to put her Flutterscotsch mask on quickly.

''T-t-t-thank you!'' the voice sounded muted. ''I m-might mess up your i-interior, though... I'm soaked!''

''Well, so is my interior!''

Hmm, Ameena had an idea who this mysterious person outside was...

When a man wearing a monkey mask and a yellow rain hat crawled crawled in, her suspicions got confirmed.

''Doctor Patchingo!'' Ameena exclaimed happily.

Patch's heart suddenly beated a little faster. Was it just him, or did her eyes just start to glinster?

''That's... That's me! Patch, is me.'' he grinned Goobaishly. Damn, only a few seconds in her presence... and he'd embarrassed himself already!

''What are you doing here? Is there anything I can do for you? Like... I could make you a cup of tea, if you wish?''

Ameena didn't feel like Patch'd embarrassed himself at all. No, not a bit, but she was a little worried about the way her hair looked herself!

''I-I-I'd love that, b-but I only c-c-came to ch-check if you were alright... I-I can't stay here for long.N-n-neither can you... Y-you'll fall ill i-if you st-t-tay here! I c-can bring you t-to Leafos'...''

''That's really nice of you...''

The blush in Ameena's voice made Patch's face redden, he again was so grateful to have such a huge mask!

''R-r-ready to l-leave then?''

Ameena nodded sprightly. She sure was!

''C-c-can I offer y-you m-my hand then?''

''You're a gentleman!'' She giggled. ''I've never met a man as polite and as... sweet before!''

Patch chuckled. Was she flirting with him, or..? Whatever it was she did and whatever she was aiming for, this was awesome!

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Splash. Splash. Splash. Spatter. Spatter. Spatter.

Walking an overly squishly lawn was the most fun thing ever, when wearing boots, at least.  
>Patch looked down and noticed Ameena was walking bare-footed.<p>

''G-g-g-great Gods... Y-y-you're not wearing shoe-oe-oes...''

''I know'' the girl shrugged. ''I don't care... We're only a few metres away from Leafos' place, I can wash and warm my feet there...''

''B-b-but this c-can't b-be p-pleasant...''

''Don't you worry about me, Patch... Oh!''

''Don't slip!''

Right before Ameena hitted the slippery, wet ground, Patch managed to grab her by the waist.

''Phew! T-thank you!'' Ameena grinned, feeling a little uncomfortable in such an intimate position. Patch had wrapped his arms all around her, and she was clinging hers tightly around his neck. She could lightly smell the eau de cologne he was wearing, which she found ridiculously appealing. If she could only bury her nose deeper into his neck, touch his chest under that hideous riancoat, kiss those raindrops off his chin...

Wait, what did she just think about?

''I-I think you can let go now!'' she stumbled.

''Y-y-es, sure...'' Patch answered vacantly.

He loosened the grip of his arms, so that she could easily break free. She didn't really want to, but it was for her own good! No distractions while gardening, she didn't come all the way to this pitoresk island just to... well, fall in love with some douchebag!

Not that she thought of Patch as a douchebag, no, not at all, she admired the work he did and he probably was a well-looking man and... Wait, what was he looking at? Certainly not at her...

He seemed to see something at a distance. And that something seemed to concern him.

''Ehm, Doc?'' she asked dubiously. ''Is there something wrong?''

Then a strange humming sound came in, first Ameena thought it was either imaginary or just the wind running through the trees, or scraping against the mountains bordering her garden, but then she realized it was something different. Something horrifying enough to disturb Patch.

''W-w-what's that?''

Patch suddenly woke up from his trance-like condition, pulled Ameena in and kneeled down with her in his grib.

Ameena, slightly shocked by the abrupt movement was about to scream, but Patch quickly covered her mouth with the back of his hand.

''Shh! Y-you're putting us in d-danger if y-you do that!'' Ameena didn't doubt his words for a second. That chanting indeed sounded threatening - yet she felt like she'd heard it before, just a less haunting version of it - and Patch was a man who knew what he was doing...

''What is it?'' she hissed anxiously.

''Something you want to run for'' Patch answered, not stumbling now.  
>He stuttered when he was nervous, which was the case the majority of the time. But when he was absolutely frightened, like he was right now... his instinct took over, something... valiant took possession of him.<p>

''Where do I run to? Leafos'?''

''No.''

Leafos' house was far too close. Patch really didn't want Ameena looking out the window to see him battling Dastardos, or... Whatever that was. Patch was a Dastardos-expert, and _that _sounded like something even more evil and unnatural than his natural enemy, the piñata reaper.

''Flight to... Do you know this little house in the swamp? It's basically a dead tree with a chimney...''

''Like that tree over there?'' Ameena asked as she were pointing at the huge treehouse at the edge of desert. Little did she and Patch know that was Dastardos' hide-out...

''In a way. It's just far less big... And far less creepy.''

''Where do I find it?'' Ameena asked, trembling all over. She really didn't feel like wandering through the swamp alone, at night...

''Listen, I hate to send you off there on your own... But don't you worry... The swamp is one of the least dangerous places on the whole Island, all nocturnal creatures you should worry about live in the j-jungle...'' A little stutter slipped between Patch's lips, as he were lying to his beloved for the very first time... About a thing that actually mattered, something that could take her life, if The Gods were in a sadistic mood today. ''J-j-just... Just you stay away from quicksand!'' Patch moaned as the pitch of his voice went up.

What. Was. He. Doing?

A tear rolled down his cheek, but of course it didn't show with all that rain pouring down. First time that night Patch was grateful for the bad weather.

''Go now! Hurry up!'' Patch screamed nervously. ''It's getting - never mind! You must be able to find the hut, it's pretty much on the outskirts of swamp...''

And that was when Ameena started running, upwind, but faster than any famous race Horstachio, struggling against the tears that prickled in the corners of her eyes...


	17. Familiar Faces

**Familiar Faces**

''Now what do you want?'' Patch asked irritated, as the masked skeleton of Dastardos was hovering soundlessly in front of him. The humming had stopped. Ameena had fled away - hopefully she hadn't fallen into the hands of some Dark God, uprisen bog body or pervert, old farmer!

If he could only tell if she was still breathing... But it was just him and Daz for now. And the strange thing was... Patch wasn't sure if this undead guy was even Dastardos at all! This one was far too silent to be Dastardos... It hadn't even made one sneery remark! Not even one!

''Oh, I see, you wanna play tricks on me again, d-d-don't y-you?''

Great Gods. The way Dastardos... this _thing _stared at him just really got on his nerves...

''Look at w-what you did! Y-y-you scared Ameena away, and... N-now you're probably gonna smack her piñatas?''

The 'thing' didn't move. At all. It didn't make one, single movement. It didn't even seem to breath anymore, and Patch - as an expert! - knew even Dastardos needed oxygene... This was something else, something completely different...

Oh Gods, how was this going to end for him? Would he even see the break of dawn again? Would it be possible to _talk _to a thing, so powerful and so evil?

''Look...'' Patch said, more brave than he actually felt. ''I w-want you t-to get the fu... Volchurro out of A-ameena's garden, p-p-please! S-she's working h-hard... E-even y-y-you wouldn't w-want to ruin her hard-earned...''

Patch didn't have the time to finish his sentence. Dastardos - or the thing controlling him - rose up the Whacking Stick and was about to change Patch's head in thousands of tiny skull-splinters!

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Fizz. Fizz. Fizz.

Where walking a wet grasslawn bare-feeted was fun, walking in the swamp that way was just gross. Ameena's stomach turned every time the clay-like slime squeezed between her toes. God knew what sick and twisted stuff had been rotting in that mud...

And it was so goddamn dark in here! The ceiling of treetops and plants blocked out all the light of the moon and the stars... Not to mention the lack of streetlights! Since she'd arrived here it'd almost felt like she'd stepped into another world, but it certainly wasn't the world she'd like to live in!

The hissing, squealing and squeaking sounds scared the hell out of her. The murkiness gave her the idea it'd be impossible to find a simple little treehouse, she was never going to distinguish that tree from the other tree's silhouettes! Patch said it had a chimney, wow, great hint. In these shades of black that chimney would look like just another of the tree's branches.

Now one good thing about the dense canopy of leaves, was that it kept most of the rain out. It was chilly tonight, if Ameena would get even more wet she'd freeze to death, and turn into a lollipop!

''Chimney'' she mumbled as she rubbed her upper arms. ''Find the tree with the chimney...''

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BAM!

Patch ducked away just in time to dodge the notorious Whacking Stick.

''I ain't no piñata!'' he gasped, in an unexpectedly steady voice. ''I won't drop candy if you break me!''

Tsi just roared amused when he heared that. This monkey-man was an outstanding piece of entertainment! His indignanty was a feast, the silly jumps he made to avoid The Whacking Stick were downright comical!

''AH!''

Patch was scared. Tsi aprreciated that. Back in the days - when he had been nothing but a huge lizard demon - he'd hide in the ferns and bushes of the rainforest, to creep up opun lost, unsuspecting passengers... Aah... Those horrified faces, the fearful screams... Enjoyment at its purest!

''HA!''

Tsi hissssed. Why did the monkey's voice suddenly sound so triumphant?

The demon looked up, slightly concerned now. But another laugh came up when he saw what the monkey was holding.

Doc Patchingo had always had a weak spot for God, the God of the Christians. He adored the ways that churches were built - way more impressive than those macabre cobweb-covered temples that were shattered over Piñata Island! - and The Cross gave him more of a feeling of protection than a Mallowolf's tooth necklace ever would...

Now Patch had the habit of secretly carrying a rosary with him. He didn't know how to use it in his prayers. In fact, he didn't pray at all. He admired the Christian religion, but he was not a Christian himself.

He had read somewhere though, that a rosary could ward off vampires. He wasn't even sure about the reliability of the sources, but perhaps it worked for Dastardos? He _was _some kind of piñata vampire after all, he'd discovered the other night...

''_Thou isss ridiculousss_'' the demon hissed derisssive. ''_I doesss not fear the rosssary.''_

Patch petrified. Now he was completely sure that... this was not Dastardos. This wasn't Dastardos in a very bad mood either. Yes, this WAS Dastardos' lifeless body, but someone else was taking possession of it...

''No!''

Patch jumped backwards. He had to get the hell out of...

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In the meantime, Ameena was jogging through the swamp. The exertion kept her warm. And that was the only thing she could think about now; achieving warmth!

Suddenly, a thick plume of smoke drew her attention. That was no ordinairy swamp gas...

''I think I know where that comes from!'' Ameena smiled warily. She sure was glad to have found a inhabited house... yet she had no idea if she would like the inhabitant! What if it'd be some kind of perv?

''Don't think about that, Ameena'' she told herself. ''Patch would never send you right into a pervert's arms... Unthinkable!''

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Bedevilment. He'd always considered it as stupid superstition... He wasn't a natural skeptical, but all those 'possessed' patients who turned out to just suffer from the flu or early dementia, had kind of cut his belief...

This case was real though. This 'Case Dastardos' was serious trouble... How the hell was he going to survive this night if his only weapon was the rosary? And how was he going to make himself destroy a creature as extraordinairy as Dastardos? Eventhough his soul was gone, the half-dead body was still Dastardos' after all.

''L-l-look, I don't wanna hurt you...''

''_Buthh I wantttss tto hurthhh thhou_'' the... - demon? Dark God? Ghost? Shaman? - creature hissed.

''What are you? Ahh!''

Patch had to dodge the Whacking Stick once again. Apparantly, this 'thing' didn't want to waste its time chatting to a doctor!

''Please, won't you calm down? I don't want to use violence towards you!'' Patch spoke, laying low now.

''_Goood. Makesss ithh even more eatthieer for mee._''

Fuck. Patch hardly ever cussed - not even in his thoughts! - but that was how he felt right now. Fucked up.

There was no other option left but fighting back. This creature wasn't for negotiating. But what the heck was he gonna fight with?

Patch glanced around. Was there anything he could possibly use to drive this force away?

Daisies, no. Buttercups, no. Bluebells, no. Poppies, definately no! Wasn't there anything such as a... not flowery thing out here? Patch narrowed his eyes, and tried to look more carefully...

Pebbles, no. Random, slightly bigger stones... Maybe. Was certainly an oppurtunity, but... didn't contain magic. There was an old Islander's saying: 'Fight magic with magic' and it was the only one that Patch actually found reasonable, out of all of those riddles, and... grandmother's stories, and such.

With that big fat stone over there he could split that hell of an ugly mask in two though, that was something he'd always wanted to do...

Dang! Patch felt he was getting tired again... He tended to think crazy and violent things when he was tired. His thoughts also got incohesive... Jumped from one subject to another... arghh... Great Gods! He should've drunk a cup of coffee before he went out!

''Stay focused, Patch!'' he mumbled grudgingly as he pinched himself. ''You ain't gon' make it if you don't...''

Where could he ever find 'magic', the powerful force that most of the Islanders were gifted enough for to use, but only a few in extraordinairy proportions?

Leafos was one of the most talented 'magicians'. If she'd lived here a two hundred years ago, her fellow Islanders would worship her and she'd become a powerful priestress with a respective job in one of the temples. Too bad for her, the Islanders didn't do much religion anymore, they had only kept the main traditions like mask wearing and some of the fiestas, such as Verano de San Valentín...

Leafos was in charge of loads of other important stuff though, helping in the process of creating pieces of the Tour of Sour being one of them... Hey!

Thát sounded like an idea!

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''Hi, I'm sorry to disturb you at this time of night'' Ameena murmured as she climbed through the huge hole in the half-dead tree ''but I, ehm...''

''Who are you? What are you? What have my Shellybeans and I ever done to harm you?'' a remarkably high pitched voice shrilled.

''Ehm...'' Ameena glanced around, trying to get her eyes used to the darkness. Jeez, this little 'house' was even more gloomy than the swamp it was located in! ''I'm Ameena... You sound familiar!''

That was true. She had heard that voice before - she had heard that voice COUNTLESS times before! It was similar as some voice she knew by heart, this one was just a quite a bit more... nervous... haggard... protective... _terrified_.

''Seedos!'' Ameena cheered in relief. She was one lucky girl to have found shelter with one of her best friends. During her awfully long walk in the swamp, the thought of Patch sending her off to sleep in the house of some... old, creepy, slimey swamp man had constantly run through her mind!

''Ameena! W-w-what are you doing here?''

Seedos now was far from relieved. His big brother the piñata reaper had told him to stay away from this girl... If Dastardos ever found out, Sergei - his favorite Shellybean ever! - would get smacked and turn into a tree thousand Shellybean shatters, not to mention his life sweet would be used as... Macaraccoon food!

He had to get rid of Ameena - fast! - it'd be better if they never ever spoke to each other again... He had to avoid future meetings with her!

On the other hand... She knew where he lived now, so how on Earth was he going to avoid thát? Built him a giant Shellybean shell so that he could hide in there whenever she stood at his door?

''I know this is a very inconvenient point of time and you must be tired as... Well, to cut a long story short, Patch has send me off to...''

''To do what?'' Seedos asked coldly, his arms crossed severely before his body.

''Well... You might not know this, but it's raining real bad outside! Patch came check on me tonight... And he said he'd bring me to your sister to warm up and stuff. But as we were crossing my garden - which was quite difficult on the all slippery wet grass field - Patch... saw _something_. I didn't know what it was, but I'm sure he did. Maybe you know about it too... It's... It's almost human, but it makes a horrifying chanting sound and it's downright emaciated... It is wearing a red mask, a pretty mask, but something about it gives me shivers...  
>Anyway, when I asked me what the thing was, the only thing Patch told me about it is that I would want to run from it... And that's when he told me to go to the swamp and find this treehouse... <em>Your <em>treehouse!''

Seedos didn't even listen to the verbiage that came after 'anyway'. He knew exactly what the thing was Patch told her to hide for. Patch was SO right!

The funny thing about it was, eventhough Dastardos was a jerk and creepy as hell... He was far not as frightful as Ameena described him!

Did he feel that way because Dastardos was his older brother? Was Ameena a coward, who'd even get scared of her own shadow? Or was there something else going on, something he didn't even want to think about?

Dastardos had been in a grumpy mood today, or no, yesterday. That didn't mean anything of course - Dastardos was a very grumpy person in general - but... something clearly bothered him. Smacking one of his little brother's Shellybeans went too far, even for Dastardos!

''It's okay, Ameena'' Seedos quivered nervously, his eyes shifting to the door, to his Shellybeans, and eventually back to Ameena's mask. ''It's okay'' he repeated. ''You can stay with me as long as you want... We are friends, after all.''

''That's right, Seedos'' Ameena smiled. ''We're friends 'til the end.''

And as Ameena was hugging her eccentric, but lovable friend, she couldn't help but fear that their end was approaching them with the speed of light.


	18. Moments Of Suspense

**Moments Of Suspense**

Tha! Finally, what he'd been looking for...

Patch was a mess, and more exhausted than ever. When he had realized he didn't have a suitable weapon to battle that 'Dastardos thing' with, he'd just decided to run.

The Dastardos thing was slow, as it was trapped in Dastardos' magical, but dead body. It just hovered forwards sluggishly, no matter how the entity inside tried, he couldn't seem to move faster.

Or - which was a more logical and terrifying explanation - it wanted to give Doc Patchingo some time ahead... to make the manhunt more exciting!

But even if this was the reason the entity was progressing so slowly, Patch could definately do his advantage with it. Every single extra minute - every single extra second was extra time to get and execute a plan... Patch had get through the planning stage by now!

His plan was to take magical elements out of a Tour of Sour. If he took the right elements and attached them to a stick somehow he could make a... some kind of wand that way. He'd sharpen the end, so that he'd get a spear sorta thing. If he'd manage to stab Dastardos with it... Oh God, the magic would slip into his lifeless and scare that entity away - probably even destroy it!

If Dastardos' soul would survive that process was unknown. But it had probably already died and it wasn't even a fact Patch's plan would work yet!

Of course the doctor knew his plan was totally illogical. It didn't make the slightest piece of sense! But it _did _give him the slightest spark of hope on survival, which was enough.

Something had to keep him going...

Now he had finally arrived in a garden with enough Tour of Sour pieces, Ameena's didn't have any yet.

This Tour of Sour was quite big... probably Bear A. Marcus' garden? Eventhough he was rag, clumsy and rude at times, he was a very talented gardener, who especially did well on taming Sours...

Patch looked up. That thing was high enough to scrape the lower hanging clouds! Hmm, the most powerful components were most likely up there - was that a Cocoadile piece?

Even some of the lower pieces looked like they'd come quite handy... That Sherbat piece would work, and the Rhinoceros piece was surprisingly not very high up from the ground... Yes, he would manage to make something out of those. He totally would.

The question remained: would he make it in time and if so, would it be powerful enough to expel Dastardos' uninvited guest?

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''Can I offer you a cup of tea?''

''Yes please!''

Ameena had settled down in Seedos' only comfortable chair, and a tame Shellybean had settled down on her lap.

''Ahh, Saydie likes you!'' Seedos exulted as he was messing with the kettle. ''She's usually a very, very shy Shellybean... Ah, no!''

He spilled water all over the floor - and over some of his beloved pets! Luckily Shellybean confetti was waterproof!

''Shall I help you clean up, or..?''

''No, no, it's fine! You sit down and keep Saydie busy... Oh, poor Seemore, your shell is soaked! I don't want you to get seepage...''

''Seedos? Have you ever thought of moving out of the bog?''

''What? Why are you asking me that all of the sudden..? And no, I can't. My Shellybeans like it here.''

''I'm asking you because... Well, you were talking about Seemore getting seepage, but your own house is pretty soggy too... Aren't you afraid to get ill or anything?''

''No, I'm NOT, Ameena. I've lived in this climate since... Ehm, I don't know HOW old I was, but I've lived here since I was a kid. I'm used to the dampy atmosphere. For me as a human it's far from perfect, but these Shellybeans are my _family_... I can't leave my family alone, neither can I move out to a place where they would feel uncomfortable!''

''You say you can't leave your family... But how about your father? And your siblings, Leafos and Storkos...''

_And Dastardos _Seedos added in silence.

''Well, they've never cared for me, so I guess I shouldn't bother much with them!''

''Non sense!'' Ameena exclaimed. ''Leafos cares about you like crazy, and she's worried about you too - I mean, about you living in the swamp and all... And Storkos talks about you quite a lot. She says she admires the fact that you always find the best quality seeds, she's proud of you!''

''Could be... But my father. Jardineiro. Jardineiro doesn't give a dandelion about me!''

''Why... why do you think he feels that way? I don't know what he thinks about you; I hardly ever speak him. But he once said that you're a very talented gardener...''

''He probably said I COULD'VE BEEN a very talented gardener, if I didn't move to the swamp to go take care of Shellybeans and collect precious seeds! Hmph!''

Seedos didn't speak again until the tea was finished. In the meantime, Ameena couldn't help but feel bad for him. What he assumed was the truth, after all... she just wanted to make it sound better so that Seedos would know that his father was proud of him, so that they possibly could make up some day again...

''I hope you like your tea. I don't do 'flavours', this is nothing but a nettle extracted in water...''

''Sounds lovely!'' Ameena managed to say.

Even if the tea turned out to taste like dishwater, she would at least have something warm to hold!

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Yes. Yes! He had never truly believed that he would make it, but he had finished, and there still was no trace of Dastardos! Beer A. Marcus though... would be less happy when he found out some idiot had destroyed his Tour of Sour, which would unfortunately lead to sour piñatas plundering his garden... Ah, well!

Patch had never been this proud of himself before. He had managed to make a magical object out of... several other magical objects and an ordinairy branch!

Now every seperate part of the Tour of Sour had a fluid core, it looked slightly radioactive but was relatively harmless to humans.

It was magic. Just magic.

For his wand, Patch had used the cores of a Bonboon, a Cocoadile, a Rhinoceros and a Sherbat piece. He had no idea if it made a difference, but he assumed that the tougher the sours were, the stronger the magic had to be to keep them out of your garden.

And he added a Sherbat because Dastardos was a piñata vampire, of course. He probably had something like Sherbat genes, so that'd work well for him.

His only concern now was... finding Dastardos and kick that demon out of him! Where on Earth could he be? He'd been busy quite a while, at least forty five minutes or so...

Oh no! An opressive, heavy feeling creeped up up in Patch... What if...

What if the entity had given up on the little chase game it had played with him, just to go chase after a more interesting prey like... Ameena?

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''This tea's actually good!'' Ameena grinned.

''You sound surprised.'' Seedos grinned too. ''I can't blame you... Tea made out of swamp water and nettle extracts sounds pretty gross.''

Ameena spilled the sip of tea she was about to swallow back in her cup.

''Eww! Swamp water? That's not gross, Seedos, that's disgusting! Really, most of this stuff is poisoned... Do you want to die prematurely just 'cause of... water?''

Seedos burst out in laughter as he saw Ameena's contorted face - oh, and that serious tone! Priceless!

''Don't you worry Ameena'' he giggled. ''I was just joking. I get fresh water by the creek every morning... You know, that creek that streams from the mountains? You won't find clearer water anywhere else! No, Ameena, come on girl! You know I wouldn't let my Shellybeans drink this rubbish! Hahahaha!''

_I'm glad that that gave you a good laugh, kid_ Ameena thought as she amusingly watched Seedos rolling over the floor. _Looks like you haven't cracked up in a very, very long time..._

''Oh... oh, my stomach hurts... What can that possibly be?''

''Nothing to worry about...'' Ameena smiled. ''That's what you get when you laugh too much! Well, according to my philosophy there is not such a thing as laughing too much but eh... It's what you get when you laugh. A lot.''

''I've never felt that before... Not recent enough to remember, though.''

''That's a shame! You should definately try to laugh a little more... It's like exercising, it's healthy!''

''Then I suppose I will... try to, at least.''

''That's a deal buddy! I will help you if you like, I know loads of good jokes...''

''Sounds cool'' Seedos vacillated. ''But...'' Dastardos' warning scraped in the back of his mind.

''But what?''

''Nothing, nothing at all! I'd love you to help me smile more often!'' _Eventhough I know my older brother would HATE me... And smack Sergei, no! _''But... we shouldn't rush things. I shouldn't laugh too often... I mean... Who know what side effects it might have?''

Ameena cocked her brow. Like, what side effects could something harmless as having a laugh... possibly have?

''Want any more tea?'' Seedos asked as he stood up and snatched Ameena's empty cup out of her hand.

''Ehm, no thanks...''

''Okay, no tea then. Do you want anything to eat?''

''Hahahah! That would be very late supper... Or a very early breakfast!''

''Indeed!'' Seedos smirked. ''I don't have much to offer, though... I usually eat raw turnips and carrots local farmers give me...''

''Ew! That must not taste all too good...''

''It doesn't. But I've never been much of an eater, so the heck what.''

''I can bring you some food and ripe veggies from time to time! I like to cook, and Lottie gives so little for apples and hazel nuts that it doesn't make a difference to me if I sell them or if I just give them away... You've given me the seeds they've grown from anyway, so you fully deserve your part!''

''That's really nice of you... but nahh.''

Of course Seedos'd like to eat good food every once in a while, but if Ameena came to visit him regularly Dastardos would definately find out!

''Alright, if you question my cooking...''

''No, I absolutely don't! ...I just don't think I'm worth the effort...''

''Come on, silly! Of course you are! We's homies!''

''Ameena...''

''Yes?''

''What's a homey?''

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The ssswamp... How much Tsi loved this place! His parents orginally came from the swamp, but when the Villagers started to drop chemicals in the bog water the Lizardi were forced to move... Some had chosen the exotic, tropically warm rainforest, others retreated to the desert, that deserted plain with its damned, scorching sands...

The monkey guy had sent that Ameena girl off to hide here. Monkey fool thought that Tsi didn't understand Human... Monkey fool was wrong! Tsi perfectly comrehended Human, and he could speak it a little too... Of course an outdated version of it, and he had a bit of an accent, but he could make himself understood among the Villagers...

Yesss!

The Ameena girl was close. Tsi had a sensitive sense of smell. Ameena girl smelled like flowers, fruit, wet grass, and a bit like monkey man. She had hugged monkey man. They liked each other...

Tsi perfectly knew where Ameena girl was hiding. In a hollow white tree. A seed collecting person lived there too, together with a twenty Shellybeans... Tsi was getting closer. Dastardos' body was slow, but it would come handy later. Seed person and Ameena girl would try to barricade the door. But Dastardos could float through doors.

Tsi picked up a scent of smoke. Seed person's house was only a small distance away... Yesss! Tsi was eager to see some blood...

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''_Ameeenaaa..._'' Tsi whistled playfully.

''Hey, did you say something?'' Ameena asked Seedos.

''No... I _heard _something.''

''_Ameeenaaaa_...''

''Does this happen regularly, in the bog? 'Cause I think it's kind of creepy...''

''I've never heard something like this before... Do you think I sould evacuate my Shellybeans?'' Seedos wondered, glancing nervously at his precious molluscs.

''I... don't know.'' A cold shiver went down to Ameena's spine. Seedos was _worried _about this... He had never heard this 'thing' before, and he'd lived in the swamp for quite a few years already! ''Shall we look outside?''

''Are you crazy!'' Seedos - with one of his Shellybeans squeezed close to his chest - looked at her as if she were alien. ''More like... shove some pieces of furniture before the door?''

''You really think it's that dangerous?''

''Well, I think... I think that's the think Patch wanted you to run for.''

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''Run, Patchingo, faster!'' Patch told himself as he were sprinting through the swamp.

The poor man was exhausted, his muscles were aching and he started to have breathing difficulties... Not to mention the bruises and sore spots he had from all the skidding and falling he'd been through - running through a slippery bog at night definately wasn't a recommendation!

But of course he was perfectly fine with all that... As long as he'd been on time to safe Ameena from that 'thing'! If his hunches were right - which he hoped not - the entity was way closer to Ameena than he was!

''C-c-c-come on, y-you l-lazy thing. F-f-faster!''

Patch was getting nervous again. Yes, he had managed to make a weapon, what now? It was no solid fact that that weapon would even work at all... It wasn't even sure if he'd make it to Seedos' home in time!

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''_Ameeeenaaa..._''

''It's calling out my name!''

''I know right? Please, help me with this cupboard... it's kinda heavy... I store fertilizer in it.''

''Of course...''

It was only a few minutes later, and Seedos and Ameena had managed to move all furniture in Seedos' living room to one place: the door.

Stools, chairs, a smaller cupboard, Seedos' bed - which was mainly a pile of straw with an old piece of cloth thrown over it - and bags of Shellybean food; all had been moved aside. When the bigger cupboard finally got on its new place Ameena let out an relieved ''ah...''

Seedos was less reassured, though. He had the worrisome feeling the _thing _that was waiting for them wasn't just a random monster - which would be a pretty alarming thing too, when he thought about it! - this _thing _had something to do with Dastardos...

And eventhough Dastardos was the most sick and twisted guy he'd ever known, he remained to be his older brother! He didn't want some sinister swamp monster to... yeah, to do what actually? What had this _thing _done to the last piece of Stardos that Dastardos had still in him?

''Are you alright, Seedos? Wait, stupid question... Do you think that thing outside is a bog body? In Ghana, I've heard scary stories of people going into the swamp at night to never return again... Never to return alive again, I must say. Some would appear in their home- or surrounding villages a few nights after, but they'd be DEAD! A boy in my mother's village said he'd seen one once - at a distance the man looked like an ordinairy guy, but he seemed to have difficulties with walking... So the boy was about to offer him a helping hand, but when he came closer he saw that the man was all emaciated and his eyes had a weird, vacant but violent glow... His skin looked green, but when the boy looked more carefully he saw the man was all covered in swamp plants...  
>That's when he realized what the thing was! He turned around and ran back home quickly, and, and a voodoo priest was warned and he shooed the bog body back into the swamp... Are there any voodoo doctors on the Island?''<p>

''I don't know'' Seedos made himself say. ''But that's not a bog body... We don't have such things as bog bodies on the Island... The swamp's not dense and dangerous enough to kill people...'' Some may appear in the jungle, though... And that's not just 'cause of the wildlife!

''_Ameeenaaa... Ameeenaaa... My... name... issss Tssssiiiiiiii..._ _Opennn thathhhh thhhoooor..._''

''No way we're gonna open that door!'' Ameena whispered lowly.

''My Shellybeans!'' Seedos cried desperately.

The Shellybeans had definately felt the icy threat of the visitor out there. Most of them had crawled back into their shells. Sergei on the other hand, had slithered to Seedos to stroke his legs like a Kittyfloss would do.

''Ohhhh, Sergei...'' Seedos lifted his favorite Shellybean up and pulled him close. ''I love you...''

''_Open thhhatthh thhoooor or Tsiiii will floathh thhroughh..._''

''Seedos, this thing ain't playing!''

''I know, but what can we do?''

''_Ameeenaaa... Tsi'ssss coming..._''

''Prepared to beat the hell out of him?'' Ameena smirked, feeling way less courageous than she sounded.

''No...''

''Well, I am...'' ...neither, actually. ''Y-you have a shovel or anything?''

''Yes... There are two of them in the corner.'' For the first time ever Seedos wished he had a Dastardos Shovel. ''They're pretty rusty and about ten years old...''

''I don't care.''

Ameena hastily grabbed one, crossed it defensively in front of her body and took a deep breath. Normally she was a pacifist, but when needed she was prepared to fight.

Her life was worth fighting for, after all.

A cold, gruesome wind blew through the small, humid chamber. Ameena felt as if the blood in her veins froze instantly. Uncontrollable shivers and convulsions took over.

She almost dropped the shovel, but her grip tightened when she saw her opponent float right THROUGH the door!

The figure had a smug smile on his red, slightly disformed mask. It seemed to enjoy the terrified looks on Ameena's and Seedos' faces. Fortunatelly it had stopped chanting now, that sound horrified Ameena like nothing else on the planet could.

''Who... Whát are you?''

Before she even realized herself, scared Ameena had taken place for fierce Ameena, an Ameena that wanted nothing but surviving this beastly, awful night.

The creature though, was not impressed.

''_My name ithh Tsssii. But whath'sss in a name?_''

''I've seen you before! Your name is not Tsi...''

Ameena tried her best to go back in time... Back to that precise moment that she'd met the entity before...  
>She couldn't find such a moment.<p>

The floating skeleton - who called himself Tsi - just continued hovering in front of her. His smug smile had taken place for a grin that was downright evilly. Confusion was an even more feasty emotion than pain... He needed to urge Ameena girl's a little bit.

''_Thhou thhoesn'th remember me?_'' he asked in a voice that was full of fake empathy. ''_Thathh'sss imposssible!_''

Ameena thought, and thought, and thought feverishly. She knew this demon was trying to play a trick on her. Perhaps she wasn't the brightest, but she wasn't stupid either!

She discreetely glanced at Seedos, to try to see what he was thinking. She didn't get any wiser from him; all that she could read from his mask was complete stupefaction.  
>And she sure couldn't blame him for that!<p>

The fairness of Seedos' fear didn't take away the chilling fact away she was on her own on this one, though. She HAD to... Wait...

''I know who you are!'' Ameena exclaimed, putting her shovel down a little bit. Just a little bit. Leaving her defence open would be a foolish thing to do, in this situation. ''I've seen you in my Journal... _Dastardos!_''

Tsi burst out in laughter.

''_I tolthh thhou... I am Tsssii. Dasthardoss ithh no longerrrr..._''

Gosh. The creature's voice really started to give Ameena the creeps...

What frightened her the most, though, was the fact she believed every single word the creature told her... She'd heard about this kind of stuff. It seemed to happen in Ghana all the time, every single time that she'd come to visit her family there another uncle or auntie had become possessed by evil spirits...  
>Luckily she'd never been spectator of an 'infiltration'... The ghosts would enter one's body, turn their eyes in such a way the pupils and irisses weren't seen - eyes are the mirrors to the soul and dark spirits usually don't wish to expose their identity - and make the most quivering prophecies...<p>

''You really ARE Tsi, aren't you?'' Ameena asked open-eyed, raising the shovel up again as she cautiously took a few steps back.

Ameena had heard the tales of Dastardos being an unscrupulous piñata reaper... Still she couldn't help but feel bad for the poor man. No one deserved to lose their soul in such a horrifying way!

''Why?'' she asked, slightly moved.

''_I needethhh the body of a piñattha reaper... to take... to whack._''

''What is it you want to whack? Why do you wanna destroy things, is that really what gives you pleasure?''

''_Yesss. But thath's nothh thhe only reassson Tsssi want's to dessstroy._''

Ameena shook her head incredulously. This was getting serious... This was getting dangerous!

''_THHAA!_''

Without warning, Tsi raised Dastardos' Whacking Stick...

It'd been his intentions to decapitate Ameena... He didn't succeed, however. Ameena had great reflexes... Just in time, she'd blocked the famous/notorious Whacking Stick with nothing but a modest shovel.

The shovel however - that was quite rusty - had broken in two pieces... There was a second one, but that one was clenched in Seedos' fists and since he was in the baddest shock, there was no way she could convince him to hand over the gardening tool, even now that it was crucial to their survival.

_This is it_ Ameena thought._ I won't survive his next attack... Oh God, please, could you make it end quick and painless?_

Tsi smirked. His eyes glowed viciously, you could read the fiendish joy from his mask easily...  
>He seemed so powerful. So GODDAMN powerful that NO ONE on this FRICKIN' ISLAND could stop him from what he were doing... When Patch woke her up this night, she had had no idea that she were living her LAST FUCKING HOURS...<br>Moving to Piñata Island had been a terrible mistake...

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Goodness gracious! He had made it. Seedos' little hut.

By the icy, oppressive atmosphere, Patch could tell his demonic foe had taken the lead in their race, though... That was catastrophic. Who knew what was left of the poor Seedos and... his beloved Ameena?

He could totally imagine them, dead,nothing left of them but two small piles of splintered bones and bloody pulp...

Great Gods, all he could do now was hope and pray he was not too late, and get in attack mode!

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

''HA!''

Tsi, who had slightly bend over Ameena to intimidate her, turned around with the speed of light to see who his new opponent was...

Ameena reconized that voice. ''Patch!'' cried desperately.  
>She was not completely convinced Doc Patchingo could save Seedos and her from anything worse than the flu... Let alone from a powerful demon in a piñata reaper's body.<br>She loved Patch, she didn't want to watch him getting slaughtered violently...

''_You isss back, my frienthh?_'' Tsi spoke.

''Yes I-I am, my fiend'' Patch replied. He was terrified, but you could barely tell by his voice.

''_And whatthhh isss thhou holding, thhhere?_''

Ameena took a step aside so that she could see the doc. He was holding some kind of... glowing staff.

''Oh, that? T-that's nothing special mate, j-just a little device I am going to use to get rid of y-you... N-nothing less!''

CLASH!

Seedos covered his eyes axiously. He really didn't want to see the body of his big brother getting stabbed with a magical staff... This had to be a nightmare! Would Dastardos ever be able to return if his body was whacked to small, bony pieces?

''_Whathh ithh thhou doing?_'' Tsi cried, sounding more unearthly than ever. Then, his voice faded away, the demon's soul was banned to the kingdom of the damned again...

For Ameena and Seedos, there were no further things left to remember.

For Patch and Dastardos, though... The night had just gotten started.


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

''Great, Great Gods! I think I've never ever been this excited before!''

Leafos enthiusiastically clapped her gloved hands as she put a huge, colorful bowl of paper mache on the table.

''Ameena, this is one of the most important days of your life as an Islander! You are finally going to have a real, personal _mask_...''

Storkos cheered joyfully, Ameena giggled timidly and Jardineiro chuckled approvingly. Seedos though, remained silent. He was studying his nails as he were wondering what happened to his poor brother Stardos...

The tragic and horrific event of two nights ago was still stained on his retina... Every time he closed his eyes he saw the body of his older brother, getting stabbed and carried away by the formally friendly bt now _monsterous _Doc Patch...

_That was not Stardos, you know that _Seedos kept telling himself. _And Patch still is a great lad. Get over it. Stardos is in a better place now, and the demon is gone... It wanted to kill your Shellybeans, man, you should be so thankful... Oh..._

''Sidos, why so silent?'' Jardineiro scolded. ''Aren't you happy that your friend Ameena will finally become an official Islander today?''

''Of course I am!'' Seedos cried agitated. ''I just can't keep my mind off...''

''My son, PLEASE! I understand that you was kind of shocked when that piñata reaper tried to kill you and your pets but... Get over it! He's dead now! You should be relieved that YOU aren't, shouldn't you?''

The truth was, that Jardineiro himself was teared apart about the 'Dastardos incident' - as the newspapers called it - too. Just like his youngest son he was desperate to know what had happened to the soul of Stardos as his body had died... For the second time.

But hey, life went on, didn't it? Jardineiro wasn't one for mourning... Not in the daytime, at least, he usually saved his tears for the night.

''Dad!'' Leafos sneered. ''Please, please... Please don't talk harsh to Seedos now. This is Ameena's big day, after all. You don't want to ruin the atmosphere, do you?''

The old man growled a bit, and then fell silent. Eventhough he didn't believe in the bull... rubbish of 'a mask displaying one's identity', Mask Ceremonies were meant to be special days of joy that even he, the Legendary Gardener, respected.

Especially if it was the Mask Ceremony of his plausible successor...

''Ameena, the last few weeks you've shown us that you have the courage, heart and bravery of a Tigermisu... We've also sensed that you are just as strong, beautiful and -''

''Wait a, wait a second!'' Jardineiro interrupted his daughter. Ameena glanced at Leafos. The girl was NOT amused!

''Ehm, excuse me, I thought **I **was the master of the Ceremony?''

''You are, but I just can't believe you! You can't compare Ameena to a Tigermisu... They are nice when you treat them the way they wish to be treat, but if you do even ONE single thing that they don't appreciate, they turn into the most ferocious creatures... Do you really want to compare Ameena with THAT?''

''Daddy, I've thought this over endlessly! You should KNOW that I'm not impulsive when it comes to designing one's mask... I've token Ameena's personality into account, and such...''

''And still you want to compare her to the most CAPRICIOUS and MERCILESS killer among the piñatas...''

Storkos let out a major sough.

''Pleeease! I think a Tigermisu mask would fit Ameena just _fine_! Everybody knows you don't like Tigermisus because -''

''Ehm, yeah, eh, we'll save that story for another time, won't we?'' Jardineiro hasted himself to say. ''I really don't think it would interest Ameena to know why I don't like Tigermisus... And if Ameena is fine with wearing a bloodthirsty mask like that; she has my blessing! I just eh, I just thought I should explain the dark sides of Tigermisus to Ameena, she has to wear that mask on her face all the time, after all...''

''It's okay'' Ameena giggled. ''I've heard that Tigermisus are sophisticated and exlusive piñatas... Maybe I manage to attrack one faster, if I look like them!''

''You won't'' Jardineiro couldn't refrain himself to say.

''HOWEVER'' Leafos exclaimed ''I think I can go ahead explaining what the mask'll look like, can't I?''

Everyone nodded 'yes', even Jardineiro did, a little primly though.

''Good. You won't be an ordinairy orange Tigermisu, Ameena, 'cause you are far from an ordinairy girl...''

_Give me a bucket!_ Jardineiro thought.

''... You will be a fashionable, stunning, enchanting PINK Tigermisu, with little waterlily detailing under the holes for your eyes!''

''Sounds good!'' Ameena grinned. She obviously was very happy about the design; her face lighted up with every single word Leafos added to her description.

''You will have white-goldish striped on your cheeks and forehead, and your nose - or the Tigermisu's nose! - will be a pink, heart-shaped gem. Your chin and lips will show, just like mine do in my mask. As long as you don't wear clashing red lipstick, you will look very fashionable. Here, I've got a drawing for you, this is what it'll look like.''

Leafos handed over a few color-sketches. Ameena and Storkos bended over curiously; Seedos and Jardineiro were less interested. Why would those drawings matter if they eventually would see what the mask would look like in real life?

Ameena smiled. ''Thank you so much for desiging this for me... It looks stunning!''

Leafos couldn't help but grin widely. ''You don't have to thank me now! Most hard work is yet to come!''

Ameena just nodded and gave the papers back to Leafos. Storkos was giggling, and spurring words such as ''Amazing!'' ''Fantastical!'' ''Splendid!''

''Then I guess it's now time to plaster your face... This may be annoying to you, but we want to make sure your mask is completely custom made!''

After the small party that'd come after the plastering process, Seedos walked back to his house in the swamp.

This day was supposed to be fun - and he had sort of felt happy when he saw the looks on Ameena and his older sister's faces - but it had him only put in an even more gloomy mood...

Being in the same room as Jardineiro was bad enough by itself, but having to converse with him? Horrible! He never ever managed to do anything right in the eyes of that man - whenever he was around all he could see was dissappointment on his mask!

And that dissappointment certainly was mutual! Okay, Seedos was not the perfect son, the gardening hero Jardineiro had always wanted him to be. But so what? He DID work hard to take good care of his seeds and Shellybeans!

Besides, wasn't the love of a father supposed to be unconditional?

''I don't hate you, dad'' Seedos whispered ''but you're an awful father!''

That wasn't the thing he worried most about, though...

Where. Was. Stardos? Or Dastardos, whoever, where the hell was his brother? Had he really died that night, or..?

He didn't know why, but Seedos had the strange idea that the soul of Stardos lived on... Somewhere... And that he would come back, complete with a body and such... Some day.

_Your impossible, Seedos! _he whispered again, this time not out loud. _That's just wishful thinking... and you know it._

That night, Ameena went to bed in a way better mood than her seed-collecting friend. The Mask Ceremony had been so much fun, she couldn't wait until her mask was finished!

She would need a little patient, though, making the mask would take Leafos a week or two! Ameena was unbelievably grateful that someone took all that time and effort just to make her something...

On the other hand, Islanders didn't consider a mask 'just something', according to them it pretty much equaled 'identity', having a certain place on Piñata Island, being an official Islande ..._ I'm glad I that I can be one of them soon_ Ameena thought as she pulled the pink fluffy blankets up to her chin. She smiled. Finally sleeping in an actual bed again felt so luxurious...

After that horrible night, Willy had built her a worthy home, complete with a bedroom and livingroom in one, a bathroom and a small kitchen. Three rooms wasn't big, but sure was a whole lot more comfortable than sleeping in an abandoned henhouse!

She still needed to 'personalize' it a little bit, though, she'd made a nice beginning. She had decorated the walls of her humble main chamber with her two only family photos, and the drawings she'd made of the Villagers she'd met the past two weeks. Leafos, Storkos, Seedos, Petula, Patch, Fannie...

_I'm looking forward to meet even more of you... But for now..._ She yawned as Katchie jumped up her bed. _All I want to do is dream..._

She already knew about who!

''Mew!'' The Kittyfloss stroked Ameena's cheek with his funny little nose.

''Okay, Katchie'' the girl mumbled. ''You can sleep in my bed... Only for tonight, though, 'cause I know it's showering outside again!''

As she petted the baby Kittyfloss, she knew she was not going to keep that pledge. Even when Willy had built the cat its own little home, Katchie would still be welcome with her... Whatever, she needed to sound strict when talking to younger piñatas. They were just like her little brother, they wouldn't obey if you talked to them in a milder tone!

''Good night Katchie'' the girl murmured. Katchie made a satisfied purring sound, as he snuggled his paper body against Ameena's. He already was convinced that Ameena would be the next Legendary Gardener.


	20. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Hello! First of all, thank you very much for reading my first Viva Piñata fanfic, _Arrival Of A Legend_.

Second of all... :P... I want to do the copyright. **I don't own Viva Piñata or its characters. **I do 'own' Ameena and the demon Tsi though, but I don't feel like anyone would 'steal' them... I won't call it stealing, anyway! If you want to use either of them in one of your own VP fics, go ahead, you have my blessing! :D

Now that we are talking about characters, **EpicLaughter** is the person who created Magnar, Dastardos' piñata pet. I'm very happy she did, because he came quite handy in my story! :D :D

I also want to thank **EpicLaughter **for always reviewing, and listening to my rambling about Viva Piñata and writing on PM. She helped me detect the 'desert' 'dessert' problem! :D  
>I love the stories she writes, and if you haven't already, you should definately check out <em>Sahari and Sparcticus, Dirty Little Secret, A Different Look at Viva Piñata's Village <em>and _The Corruption of Stardos_. The latter influenced my view at Dastardos and Seedos enormously.

Of course there will come future stories for VP soon. This tiny fandom doesn't keep itself alive! ;D

_Arrival Of A Legend _is the first part of a three-parted _Legend _trilogy. I am happy to announce that the next part will be called _Roots Of A Legend, _which will involve around Piñata Island's nearly forgotten religion - prepare for Demons, Dark Gods and abandoned temples! We will get some insight into the myths of the Islanders, their little traditions and the history behind the wearing of masks...

Further thanks go out to anyone who's read this story, really, and of course to anyone who's reviewed. Reviews are always welcome, especially those with constructive critism! :D  
>If you spot twitches in my plotlines or errors in my grammar, please tell me! I'm not a native speaker of English you know, and besides that, I'm always eager to know how I can improve my writing! :D<p>

That's it for now! I'm glad you've read my dusty, boring Author's Note... Have a great evening everyone, I appreciate every all of you readers and writers of VP fics! :D

Lots of Love

Tiigerliily


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